


Weight of the World

by watevermelon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, F/M, Fanon Felix - Freeform, Fluff, Friends being Actual Friends, Friends to Lovers, Gabriel isn't Hawkmoth, Humor, Jealousy, Justice for Marinette, Lots of Emotions???, Love Square But on Crack Really, Love Square flip, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Miraculous Ladybug PV, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Partner Swapping, Teenagers Getting to be Teenagers, Twin AU, Unrequited Love, reverse love square, slow-burn, this is gonna be a long one, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24112360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watevermelon/pseuds/watevermelon
Summary: In a world where there are two users to the ring of destruction, Marinette finds her high-school years filled with romance, humor, and loving friends that she would never replace------aka Twin AU with both Adrien and Felix pining over Marinette
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Bridgette, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Bridgette/Félix (Miraculous Ladybug PV), Felix/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Félix (PV)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 120





	1. Could it be?

If there was anything Marinette liked, it was consistency. 

Or at least, that was the lame reasoning she had in her mind as she raced to school, late again for the third day in a row after an infamous akuma attack. Even the kindness of Ms. Bustier’s heart had bounds and Marinette was not, at least not intentionally, trying to push it.

Maintaining some distance, she detransformed in a quiet alleyway a block away from the school, before breaking out into another sprint.

She had literally a minute until the first bell rang - apologizing profusely to those she pushed past to get to the school grounds.

As she turned the corner, Marinette could see coming in from the opposite corner was the younger of the Agreste twins, Adrien. He was huffing, a determined look as he raced into school as well. The blond waved at her as he was going, meeting a bright smile on Marinette’s face as best as she could while racing by.

Taking two steps at a time, Marinette could see Ms. Bustier walk by the balcony to their shared classroom. Not minding her appearance at this point, as she rushed past other classrooms, Marinette attempted to sprint this last section.

However, Ms. Bustier turned at the noise, “Marinette, Adrien - come inside, will you?” The placating smile of their homeroom teacher was enough signal to Marinette that she was safe - another day, crisis averted.

“Probably not the way you wanted to start your birthday, huh?” Marinette quipped at Adrien, who smiled back as they filed into the classroom.

Meanwhile, in the not-so-forgiving classroom one over, Ms. Mendeleiev huffed as she watched the two students race past her windows.

The eyes of Felix Agreste lingered on Marinette, mentally filing the fact that she was late  _ again _ . And while he would have waved it off as her usual, clumsy, behavior - there was something more… coincidental this time.

“It wouldn’t be a normal morning if your cousin didn’t arrive in style.” Allegra commented toward Bridgette, a thumb raised in the direction of the aforementioned blue-blur.

While Marinette and her close friends were graced with the love of Ms. Bustier’s classroom, there was no mercy within Ms. Mendeleiev’s four walls. At least Bridgette had her closest friends, not to mention the absolute love of her life, sharing this dreaded time together.

The young woman’s late arrival was nothing worth breaking news, but Bridgette could not help her eyes as they followed her cousin rush past the windows.

Marinette had been… strange as of late.

Ever since the outbreak of akumas and increase in overall danger, Bridgette’s cousin had been more elusive as of late. She would go missing for entire days, inaccessible by phone and not a single person knowing where she had gone. Bridgette recalled times where neither her parents nor Alya nor  _ even Adrien  _ knew where the young designer was.

Maybe Marinette was especially scared of akumas,  _ who knows,  _ Bridgette mused.

But there was just a gut feeling she could not shake.

“But Adrien also?” Claude added to the conversation, quirking a brow with an expression that screamed of a scandal.

“It is his birthday.” Allegra added, a smirk on her face.

Felix cut in, the older of the Agreste twins, halting all gossip. “Adrien slept in. I’m assuming Dupain-Cheng did as well.”

Allegra looked over at the fellow blond in front of her, “I’m surprised either of you came to school on your birthday.”

“I appreciate my education.” Felix replied, not unkindly.

She smiled at his response and waved it off - it’s not like Allegra expected anything less from the serious one of the Agreste twins.

Bridgette’s gaze had snapped to Felix’s appearance the moment he spoke, her vision almost instantly clouding Felix into a handsome manhwa, _tsundere_ protagonist. And while she had known the blond for literal years at this point, her ‘Felix-vision,’ as Allegra termed it, had only increased in intensity as the years gone by.

“Happy birthday again, Felix!” Bridgette mustered up her most cheery voice. However, from her previous expression, the aforementioned Agreste must have guessed her line of thinking, and his visage turned stone-cold at her words.

“Thank you, Cheng.” He replied sharply, before turning in his seat to the front, signifying the conversation was now completely over.

And while Bridgette wanted to say that his curt behavior did not hurt, that would be a lie.

She would usually excuse his sharp behavior with his general introverted-personality and the fact that he  _ despised  _ the early mornings. Even now, Felix was sporting his second cup of coffee and school had yet to officially start.

However, Bridgette could not help the small pang in her heart at his frigid words.

It would be different if he was not aware of her feelings. But Felix had made it known on multiple occasions, simply by his actions, that he would rather be anywhere than with her. To say Bridgette was assertive would be an understatement, but it could only last so long before it started to chip away at her resolve.

They were in their second year of high-school and had been classmates throughout most of their lives. Bridgette had been to the Agreste Estate many times over the years, but it was only at Adrien’s invitation and out of Emilie’s kindness.

Bridgette could not help but wonder, did Felix even view her as a friend?

Her stare remained trained on him throughout class, enough so that Allegra had playfully nudged her to stop her from gawking. But Bridgette’s thoughts only clouded more and more. 

It seemed as if everything she knew about him was only aesthetic-deep. She knew Felix’s monthly schedule almost by heart - even the smaller details such as his favorite color and food - but this was all from published information.

Taking a deep sigh, Bridgette thought back to their interaction that morning. She got up early and everything, wanting to be the first person to wish Felix a happy birthday. Allegra had sent her a cheery text while Marinette wished her  _ good luck! _

And even when she was the only person standing there, obviously eager in front of the Collège Françoise Dupont entrance, Felix had regarded her evenly.

“Thank you, Cheng.” He stated curtly, putting the present in his side-bag before walking right past her and into the school.

_ Cheng. _

Despite it all, she was simply that - Cheng. Felix was the type of person who categorized the people in his life. And he was the one who had purposefully put the distance between them - referring to Bridgette by her last name. 

Granted, he did that with most of his closest friends. But after years of being in each other’s acquaintance, it still hurt nonetheless.

Both the closest females in her life had encouraged her to be honest to herself. Her crush on Felix lasted for the greater half of her life and it brought no good to her just letting it fester this entire time. Allegra and Marinette made it clear that they would support her no matter what, but both girls said maybe it was time to let Felix clear the air.

And while she may not like the reaction, Marinette reasoned, it would be healthier to let her heart rest.

Was it time for her to finally move on?

Her eyes lingered on Felix for a few more seconds, before she finally zoned in on Ms. Mendeleiev’s lecture.

In her own classroom, Marinette glanced at the clock, eager to get this day over with and finally start the weekend - as well as party it up at a  _ certain  _ someone’s birthday.

While her celebrity crush on Adrien was long gone - I mean, she watched him eat crayons  _ whole  _ while they were in  _ l'école primaire  _ \- he was still one of her closest friends. And this was one of the few events a year that she absolutely looked forward to.

And since she had to fight an akuma instead of putting the finishing touches on the dessert she was going to bring later, Marinette was a  _ bit  _ more eager to rush home and get it done. But, there were a couple of errands she had at school.

Class dragged on slowly until Ms. Bustier released the anxious teens to lunch. Almost instantly, the classroom almost sprung into action, wishing Adrien many congratulations for his birthday since they were unable to before class.

Before Chloe could brush everyone aside, Nino put an arm across Adrien’s shoulders and loudly declared he was going to save a table for them in the courtyard instead of the usual lunchroom. Him and Alya left the classroom, not before the latter of the couple turned toward Marinette and winked in her direction.

Marinette could not help but roll her eyes.

The young designer went down a step and turned toward the blond, the two of them remaining as the last ones left in the classroom. Adrien turned to her with a questioning look, a rosy tinge on his cheeks as he regarded her with surprise.

Before he could ask, Marinette took out and extended the present she prepared from her backpack. She started with a teasing smile, “For the esteemed Adrien Agreste, I _bequeath_ to thee a present, from the depths of my heart.”

Adrien smirked at her sarcastic nature, but played along. Putting a hand on his heart and bowing in a knightly way, “You are thanked, kind madam.”

The medium-sized box, decorated in both light blue and white wrappings, was large enough to be held with two hands but not heavy enough that he could not do it with one. And, honestly, this was one of the major things Adrien was looking forward to on this day.

Marinette always gave the best gifts, not to undermine his other friends and their efforts - such as Alya gifting him a sweater from the mall or Nino getting him the new Ultimate Mecha Strike II, or even Chloe and her expanse of expensive gifts that he did not really use.

Rather, Marinette always had a way of getting him something that was both practical and uniquely  _ hers.  _ Whether it be something she made and designed, crafting it herself from sketch to product, or even a simple thing like food - Adrien always loved her gifts the most.

It probably also helped that she was the object of his affections for the past  _ forever. _

Adrien took the box from her hands and opened it then and there, obvious excitement radiating off his eyes alone. The top layer was a  _ Marinette  _ original, a soft blue scarf with matching gloves. 

“There’s more.” She added in a singing-tone.

The blond dug further into the box, revealing another that held homemade caramel-chocolates, decorated in variations of green colors.

“Marinette, you are the best!” Adrien commended excitedly, putting the box down entirely as he pulled the girl closer with one-arm. Pulling her into a full-hug,  not leaving a single space, even for Jesus, Adrien attempted to show his appreciation for her through the physical embrace.

He took in a long inhale, the smells of vanilla and sunshine radiating off the baker’s daughter. It reminded him of sweets, no doubt. But that was what Marinette was like, sweet.

“And all mine.” He added in a low tone, almost whispering it as he leaned against the top of her head.

“What?” Marinette asked, genuinely unable to hear the statement.

“And the chocolates are all mine.” Adrien deflected, putting space between them as he leaned back.

Marinette shot him a look that basically screamed  _ yeah, right _ , but voiced nothing outwardly.

“You’re so kind, Marinette.” Adrien continued, “I’m glad you’re one of my best friends.”

“You’ll always be one of mine.” Marinette replied, looking up at him as she smiled.

He held her in his arms for a few more beats, before Marinette felt her cheeks heat up at the warmth from his gaze. She took a step back, putting space between them to temper down her heart.

Marinette kept on smiling, staring back at his wide green-eyes for a single second before, turning towards the doorway. “We should probably head to lunch.” Marinette reasoned.

“Yeah, we should.” Adrien agreed, but made no movement as he continued to simply  _ look  _ at her.

His expression was so  _ raw, _ so  _ Adrien _ , that Marinette had to look away from his intense gaze or end up thinking something she would  _ much rather not risk _ . Instead, she fully turned her body towards the door handle and held it open for Adrien.

He made sure to keep his eyes trained on her, even as he exited their shared classroom. It made Marinette want to physically push down on her growing blush. This was  _ Adrien,  _ of all people, it was just that he was so  _ handsome _ that it was putting her nerves on end - that was all. There was nothing else there, nothing more to dig up.

“Happy birthday, Adrien!” Allegra and other members of Felix’s homeroom squad greeted, as the two of them joined the group in the courtyard downstairs.

They were gathered around two picnic-like tables pushed together. And while Adrien was not as close to the group of friends in the other homeroom, he appreciated their congratulations and took an empty seat that Nino gestured to him too. 

(It  _ inconspicuously  _ had an open seat next to it as well. He should have guessed when Alya motioned for Marinette to take it. They were the  _ least  _ subtle wing-men ever, but it could not be helped since it seemed the object of his affections was the  _ most  _ oblivious ever.)

Bridgette sat next to Felix, attempting to get  _ any  _ conversation out of him beyond that of a simple  _ ok  _ and  _ fine.  _ However, it was clipped replies one after the other.

_ “How has your birthday been so far?” _

_ “Fine.” _

_ “Would you like some macaroons?” _

_ “No, thank you.” _

And while Bridgette usually would have just pushed forward, something in her was screaming at her to just stop.

She glanced at Felix again, who was sitting in the spot next to her, and then Allegra, who was on her other side, and mentally paused. Marinette and Adrien’s appearance proved to be a needed distraction from the other Agreste plaguing her mind.

Since they had opted to eat outside in the courtyard, the nine teens did their best to be comfortable in the smaller space. However, none complained since the weather was absolutely beautiful to eat outside. And, claiming such a high-profile spot on a day like this, especially with a large group, was a feat in itself.

“I’m going to pretend that you two staying back for eight minutes and forty-two seconds was completely normal.” Alya stated, looking down at her watch as if to confirm her statement.

“And also the fact that you two were late to school,  _ together,  _ is completely arbitrary, “ Allegra added.

“Ha ha.” Marinette bit out sarcastically before turning to Felix, who was attempting to take in the conversation in relative peace, “Happy birthday, Felix.”

“Thank you, Dupain-Cheng.” He regarded her respectfully.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Agreste.” Marinette cheekily responded.

Felix fought the urge to roll his eyes, “Unless you are referring to my father, I suggest refraining from calling me something so formal.”

“Felix? Formal? How rare!” Allegra quipped.

“This is also coming from the person who refers to me as my last name.” Marinette replied back.

His more sassy, Chat Noir side, emerging, “Would you prefer something else,  _ Marinette?” _

It was as if time itself had stopped.

Adrien turned to his brother, eyes wide in surprise at the name. Allegra, who was poised to take a bite out of her homemade sandwich, stopped just a few centimetres short of her mouth. Allan and Claude, who were locked and loaded with their own sassy remarks to interject, were rendered speechless. Alya’s eyes kept darting between the two Agreste twins.

Marinette’s teasing smirk dropped to a bemused, unsure smile.

This was not the first time he had regarded her by her first name. But, of all times now, Marinette would not have expected it. She was blind-sided, unsure how to react with this slightly-playful Felix.

However, Bridgette, the girl who was all sunshine and enthusiasm, was now rendered with a flat, silent expression.

“You jerk!” Claude cut into the tense air, “As your best friend - “

“Adrien is my best-friend.” Felix interrupted.

“AS your best friend,” Claude continued, more loudly. “All  _ I  _ get are crap nicknames? After all this time? Meanwhile, you grace Marinette’s name from your lips?”

The other members of their group caught on quickly, a gleam flashing in Allegra’s eyes almost instantly.

She cut in, obviously messing around now. “Felix Agreste, do you even know our names?”

Felix could not help it then, “Yes I do,  _ Allegra _ .”

The blond put a hand on her heart, pretending with a love-struck expression. “Finally, you accept thy name.”

Claude, exaggeratedly incensed, demanded, “Felix, what is my name?!”

The blond rolled his eyes at their antics, then averted his gaze back to the book in his hands.

Claude was in sudden confusion - did he  _ seriously  _ not know his name? 

However, Allegra had already moved on and instead interrupted Felix’s silence, “Nu-uh, you are not reading during  _ lunch  _ on your  _ birthday _ .”

Felix sighed, but pocketed the book.

“My name is Claude, C-L-A-U-D-E.” Their friend emphasized dramatically, not letting go of the previous subject.

“Let it go, Claude.” Allan said not unkindly.

“Thank you, Allan.” Felix commended.

Claude stood up then, unwilling to let this happen. “Really, Felix? You’re really going to do this to me? Right in front of my salad?” He gestured in front of him, to a ham sandwich sitting on the table.

Felix rolled his eyes again, slightly wondering if his eyes would get stuck there one day, and answered. “Yes I am, Claude.”

Claude, imitating Allegra’s earlier showy feat, slumped back down in his seat dramatically, as if the statement alone had made his whole day.

This was not an unusual sight for Felix’s close group of friends, they were a dramatic bunch, but he silently appreciated them nonetheless. However, the only strange thing would be the curious silence that Bridgette was in, not contributing to the silly teasing and overall banter between her friends.

But her mood was uplifted in a way she least expected.

Her silence must have been a clear indication of how moody she was feeling, since Felix turned to her and asked. “Bridgette, are you alright?”

She lit up immediately, “Of course, Felix!”

The blond lifted a brow at the obvious, dramatic shift in her spirit. Bridgette wore her heart on her sleeve so obviously. And yet she was also so easy to move. However, Felix said nothing in response and continued to listen to the moving conversation.

Marinette was also listening in, lunching on her ham and cheese croissant - courtesy of her wonderful mother who quickly packed it into her backpack as she was running out of the house. She silently offered a small éclair to Adrien next to her, to which he slightly stuttered then refused.

“What, why? You love them.” Marinette asked.

“Yes, but I have to keep this model body somehow.” Adrien replied, flexing his bicep in a joking manner.

“What you need is to put some meat on those bones.” Marinette stated as she waved the dessert back in his direction.

Alya choked out a laugh while Allegra muttered a small  _ true. _

Gingerly taking the éclair, Adrien genuinely thanked Marinette before adding the dessert to his lunch.

~~ (I mean,  _ of course,  _ he loved them! Adrien just wanted to make sure that  _ she  _ was okay with him having them.) ~~

“I’m excited for tonight, another infamous birthday bash at the Agreste Estate. What could possibly be more exciting this month?” Allegra started, reigniting conversation from the llull of everyone eating.

“We’ve probably been looking forward to this more than a certain one of the birthday boys.” Alya replied, looking over at Felix.

“Mom had to basically blackmail Felix to get him to agree to staying the whole night.” Adrien added.

“If anything, I’m impressed with the fact that we’ve kept it on the down-low this whole time.” Allan commented.

“Well, with two of the most powerful people in Paris threatening us not to post  _ anything  _ about it on social media - it’s hard to ignore.” Allegra replied, remembering Emilie’s veiled warning that this party is a friends only event - meaning no posting until the day after. Otherwise, who knew how many unwanted and uninvited individuals would attempt to crash the party.

“We’ll still have tons of fun tonight.” Marinette continued.

“Just wait until the ladies see these guns.” Claude motioned, flexing his muscles much like Adrien had done earlier.

“Yeah, they’ll all go running  _ away,  _ surely.” Allan joked, before taking another bite. Putting on a surprised expression, Claude had a hand on his heart to signify his mock offense.

“What matters is the skills you’re bringing to the dance floor.” Alya cut in.

“You’ll see.” Claude replied, eyes on Allan. “With my wicked moves and DJ Nino tonight, it’ll be a good night.”

“I don’t even want to know by whose definition.” Bridgette quipped.

“My sunshine queen, please do not shame me.” Claude interjected, before glancing down at his watch in alarm. “We better head back, we still have to finish your guys’ banner in the art room.”

“Shoot, you’re right.” Allegra replied.

“I’m always right.” He jokingly stated, putting hands on waist and standing tall, earning him a couple eye rolls from both Allan and Allegra.

Felix took this opportunity to leave as well, hoping to get a bit further into his book. On reflex, Bridgette got up from her spot as well.

“We should go too. I promised I’d look at your track list for tonight.” Alya commented toward Nino, but winking at Adrien to take the hint that  _ suddenly,  _ he would be alone with  _ her  _ again.

The group moved to stand, some throwing out extra trash while others were heading back upstairs during the rest of their free period.

Adrien turned to his friend, or at least the spot that once occupied Marinette, before hearing her voice as she got up and walked toward his brother.

“Hey, Felix!” Marinette exclaimed, before the blond could get far. Bridgette looked back as well, grabbing Allegra’s hand and hiding behind the stairwell, the two friends in view.

While it was easy for Marinette to approach Adrien, aka one of her best friends, Felix Agreste was a whole different story.

“Is something wrong, Dupain-Cheng?” Felix regarded her, pocketing his book and giving her his full attention.

She mentally noted that he had returned to her last name.

It was rare for them to really speak on one-on-one terms. Even at his own  _ damn  _ house, Marinette was usually visiting for reasons related to Adrien. Their connection was a strange one, for a lack of better words. They grumbled over Chloe’s behavior and shared a sharp-tongue when necessary. But the teens had never shared a class together other than the occasional art-related extracurricular. Even when they were in a casual setting, it was usually in a group filled with their other friends.

The only time Marinette could really remember spending alone time with him is when she was tasked with aiding the musical regarding their costumes. Both Felix and Allegra were ballet dancers and she offered to work on both of their costumes. 

This Felix, the one she got to know individually during this time, was vastly different and yet somehow the same. He was still generally serious and kept to himself, preferring to say things with the fewest amount of words or generally taking actions for the least amount of social interaction. Felix was the most well-mannered of all her schoolmates and yet somehow the most sarcastic and mischievous, in a quiet and subtle way.

This was the usual with him; however, Marinette had also seen another side. She had watched him dance - observed his solo routine alone as she sketched out the best possible attire for him. On occasion, she would watch Felix grow more and more fatigued, his graceful appearance becoming caked in sweat. His usually perfect hair, combed and styled, grew disheveled with his exhausted state.

She could remember one specific time, when she was sketching the finer details of his recital attire. Marinette sat against the mirror of the practice room, Allegra not present while Felix continued practicing his routine with the young designer in the room. Unsure of how much time had passed, Marinette finally looked up when the silence had dragged on, seeing Felix laid on his back across the ground.

Marinette was unsure what to do, not close enough to Felix to immediately help him up and, not one to pry, hesitating if she should even ask.

Instead, the young designer took out her unopened water bottle and placed it next to his head. 

His eyes were closed, a hand pinching the bridge of his nose, as if in frustration. “You need it more than me.” Marinette started.

Felix opened his eyes and regarded her quietly, before muttering a small  _ thanks  _ as he sat-up and drank it.

The kindness in her heart kept urging her to simply say  _ anything,  _ “Something on your mind?”

Felix turned to her and sighed with a resigned expression, “Don’t worry about it, Marinette.”

She felt her heart almost palpitate, a beat here and there missing as he looked at her. 

It was the first time he had ever referred to her by name.

This, strangely enough, was the most casual Marinette could ever recall the blond. He was always adorned in formal clothes, even at school. Sporting a tie or a vest, everything about Felix was professional. From the way he regarded her by last name to his general vernacular - Felix was simply a straight-forward, serious person.

And seeing him with this relaxed visage, Marinette had to fight the blush that was rising to her cheeks.

The moment seemed oddly... intimate.

“I know we aren’t particularly close…” Marinette started, Felix raising an amused brow at her words. “But I’m always all ears for you.”

“Thank you. You’ve always had a kind-heart, Marinette.” Felix got up, moving to sit next to her against the wall. “Why don’t you show me your design so far?”

Felix often commented on her designs in general, offering his own pointers or even forwarding things to his father with her express consent. He was friendly, definitely, but their overall relationship was strange. They did not speak often, but she somehow still felt a certain unsure connection to the blond, as if she knew him better than she believed.

She often wondered if Felix somehow felt the same way.

And while Marinette would have preferred to be closer to the older twin, he still kept a relative distance to her. A part of her wondered if it was due to her cousin, but that was a different beast in itself.

“Happy birthday, Felix.” Marinette started, pulling herself out of her thoughts and returning back to present. Felix waited for her, surprisingly patient as she talked. She extended a simply-wrapped present toward the quiet male. “This is for you.”

Felix silently regarded her, moving to take the box out of her hands. “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing flashy and you don’t have to open it now.” Marinette continued, “But I wanted to make you something special.”

Felix’s silence did nothing for her nerves. And her growing anxiety only led to one thing - rambling.

“We’ve kinda hovered each others’ lives since, _well_ _forever_. And I know you’re friends with Allegra and them and I’m more Adrien’s friend, I mean, not that we aren’t friends! It’s just that - I wish we were closer than we actually are, but you’re you and I’m Bridgette’s cousin... Wait, oof.”

Felix held a slightly amused expression, as he absently weighed the gift in his hands, “May I?”

“Of course.” She smiled lightly.

The first layer was a matching hat and glove set that mirrored that of Adrien’s. The smaller accents and color scheme was a darker shade of forest green with a black border along the edges of the wrists. Also, at the bottom, was a smaller box of chocolates that Marinette had tailored to his tastes.

“Your mom suggested that you favored a more bitter, coffee-tasting chocolate.” Marinette rambled, “So I tried my best. It’s alright if you don’t like it, I completely understand.”

Felix paused, before making firm eye-contact, “I appreciate it,  _ Marinette _ .”

Blind-sided by her own name for a second time today, the now blushing girl nodded without a single word in response. Marinette took in a breath, a single beat of silence promulgating their conversation as the two teens regarded each other with a quiet air.

“Uh, you’re welcome?” Her expression raising in pitch with each word, confusion evident as she spoke with the older Agreste.

The small amusement on his face - more specifically, the upwards twitch of the corner of his lips - was enough to signify that he was entertained by her. She could not blame him - her statement sounded more like a question, even to her own ears.

“Is that all for now, Marinette?”

_ And so it was not an accident,  _ the aforementioned teen thought as the blond referred to her by her first-name for the  _ third  _ time that day. It was ironic how a normal gesture was tantamount to something much larger when it came to Felix.

Which is why Marinette found herself to be a blushing, unsure mess in the span of a few seconds. And, spying Felix’s mischievous expression, Marinette knew she had to  _ get the hell out of there.  _ Wanting to make a quick escape, she basically squeaked out a  _ see you later! _ before making her way back to the table where she had left Adrien before.

It was not like she had feelings for Felix - because  _ God no,  _ her heart belonged to a blond cat that she only shared half her life with. Not to the mysterious Agreste twin whom she did not understand... 

Shaking her head, as if the physical action was enough to clear her thoughts, Marinette picked up her pace as she bounded back towards Adrien.

The younger Agreste was surprised, but reigned in his expression when he saw Marinette approach the table.

The young girl was kind and thoughtful - that was all that gift to Felix was, just a token of her kindness. 

That was all.

Or at least, that was what Adrien inwardly told himself, almost a dozen times in the span of Marinette walking over.

From their hiding spot behind the stairs, Allegra put a comforting hand on Bridgette’s shoulder, her wide cerulean-eyes displaying just how her mind was going a thousand miles a minute. And while the blonde knew best that Marinette had no romantic-interest in Felix, there was no denying the display of affection that had gone between the two.

If a bystander did not know any better, they would think that Felix had just viewed Marinette with a fond expression.

Allegra bit her lip, thinking back to the display of emotion that her longtime childhood friend had just shown. Despite being one of Felix’s best friends for most of her life, even Allegra felt confused at that. She sighed, focusing back to comforting her best-friend in her current inner-turmoil.

The pang of pain from this morning was a raging fire of mixed emotions - incredulous at Felix’s kind words, disappointed that it was directed at someone else, and overall  _ anger  _ toward her cousin.

It was not justified in the least, Bridgette knew. 

Her and Marinette had baked those chocolates  _ together,  _ after all. Bridgette’s own gift contained similar chocolates to that of her cousin’s, albeit more intricately decorated. It was  _ her _ that convinced Marinette to gift something more personal, beyond the occasional book or sketchpad that she usually gave to the elusive blond. And yet…

It was the response that set her ablaze.

What was it that made her gift so  _ damn  _ special? How was it any different from the  _ many  _ gifts Bridgette made sure were perfectly tailored to Felix’s interests?

All at once, the raging fire sizzled to nothing more than a mellow pang.

Was it the  _ gifter _ that made it so different?

Bridgette felt, more than realized, that Allegra had grabbed her elbow and was pushing her to the art room. While the blonde was attempting to get her mind off the scene they just saw, Bridgette let herself simply go through the motions.

* * *

Throughout the rest of the day, Adrien could not help the bounce in his step.

Not only had Marinette gifted him something practical and savory, she would be coming over for the party to kick off the weekend.

Well, yes, the more practical side of his brain said  _ most  _ of their classmates were coming along anyway. And he was eternally grateful for his mother for arranging a party for him and his brother to enjoy with their friends

But his attention snapped toward Marinette.

The kind baker’s daughter who had permeated his life since they were kids. And while she had been nothing more than a friend for the better half of a decade, something had just  _ changed.  _

Was it her smile? The way she laughed? Or rather, was it her bravery every time there was an akuma terrorizing their city?

While he could not immediately place it, all Adrien needed to know was that she held a special place in his heart.

And when the party was in full-swing that late afternoon, his green eyes kept snapping from corner to corner of their backyard area. Various friends and classmates were enjoying the late-afternoon breeze, eating up refreshments and enjoying the music that  _ Kitty Section  _ was currently performing. He was also especially glad to see his friend Kagami, one who lived a relatively sheltered life (to say the least), was also in attendance of the party.

Felix was sitting in one corner by the trimmed hedges, no book in hand, but silent as his eyes examined the party in his high bar stool. Bridgette sat next to him, shooting obvious glances at him every so often.

The blond felt his heart go out to Bridgette - his brother really was the worst when it came to love.

Adrien admitted, that if  _ even he _ could notice Bridgette’s true feelings towards the older Agreste, then Felix must be more naive than he looks. 

However, if there was one thing the two blonds had in common, it was that they were the absolute worst when it came to addressing their feelings. Felix tended to avoid feelings in general while Adrien loved the  _ feeling  _ of being in love - first a celebrity crush on Ladybug and then with one of his best-friends.

But the two did one thing similar - they avoided speaking of their feelings out loud.

Adrien had advised Felix, on multiple occasions, to really tell Bridgette how he felt. And the older twin, with a heavy sigh, replied that he basically pushed her away on a daily basis - that should have been enough of a hint. Besides, he had made his  _ No  _ obvious on several occasions, she was simply not listening.

Felix also added,  _ why not be honest with Marinette? _

Adrien grimaced as he recalled that conversation. High-school had so much drama - it was not enough that he was  _ Chat Jour,  _ the black cat hero during the day.

Glancing at the two teens one last time, Adrien scanned the rest of the party for the second time in the last three minutes.

There was  _ one  _ glaring thing missing.

Marinette had not yet arrived.

Adrien was doing his best to distract himself, conversing with his classmates and even attempting to convince his brother to come dance with the growing group. But there was no hiding the impatient tells of Adrien’s appearance.

“Relax, lover-boy. It’s Marinette, I'd be surprised if she was on time.” Alya tried to calm his nerves.

“Yeah, but maybe I should text her? Maybe something happened? Akuma?” Adrien asked, questions pouring out quickly.

“Allegra just texted me that her and Marinette are on the way, don’t sweat it blondie.” Alya replied.

“Dude, chill-out.” Nino put his hands on his shoulders, “Marinette will show up, you’ll ask her to dance, and I’ll break out the slow dance.”

Adrien let out a small laugh, coming out more like a sigh. “Okay, you’re right. Good plan.”

“I’m switching in after Kitty Section, but relax dude. This is your night.” Nino added, before putting a comforting hand on the blond’s shoulder before walking away.

Alya and him stood in silence, before he heard her sigh. He turned to follow her line of sight, seeing his brother and Bridgette at the end.

“What is happening there?” Alya asked and if Adrien heard correctly, there were tendrils of worry in her voice.

“Honestly, I don’t want to know.” Adrien answered candidly.

The young reporter turned to him, a grimace on her face, conveying how worried she was for her friend. The two stood in silence, watching Felix in his obvious displeasure while the party raged on without him.

“Congratulations again, our resident model.” Allegra greeted, putting an arm across Adrien’s shoulders from behind.

“Allegra!” Adrien greeted, suddenly excited at her appearance. “Is Marinette here?”

“Wow, thanks for the warm welcome. You know, you can’t hog her the whole night.” Allegra teased, “But yes, Marinette was stopped by your parents earlier. I think she’s talking to your mom as we speak.”

“Oh no.”

Adrien felt every nerve in his body perk-up, telling him to find her  _ now. _

Allegra said quick greetings to the Agreste parents before heading outside where her friends were gathered - claiming it was Marinette’s job to  _ suck up to her future in-laws,  _ not hers _.  _ But, If not for Marinette’s respectful upbringing, she would have simply choke-held the blonde alongside her.

However, when  _ Gabriel Agreste  _ had outright addressed her by name, Marinette had no choice but to hang back.

“Adrien showed me what you had handmade for him,” Gabriel started, before silently commending her with an affirming nod.

“Thank you.”’

“You will be applying for my summer internship, right?” The question ringing more like a statement, Marinette mused.

However, it was no surprise. Gabriel was probably eager to get her on lock-down before she even considered applying elsewhere.

“Of course.”

“Let’s not talk business tonight.” Emilie cut in, having transferred Marinette’s dessert over to Nathalie. Gabriel simply smiled, before walking off. “Thank you again.”

“I’m just glad I got to have a part in making tonight special.”

“You didn’t have to, Marinette.” Emilie commended. They were both still inside the large home, talking as other house-workers walked between the outside-garden and the kitchen.

“It’s not a problem, Mrs. Agreste.” Marinette waved off, “Anything for my best-friends.”

“What have I told you a thousand times?” She was ready to reprimand, “It’s Emilie to you, Marinette.”

The young woman smiled back, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. “Alright, Emilie.”

“Good.” She looked at her with silent approval, “I should probably take these outside before Adrien demands them all just for him.”

“Don’t worry, I included some in his present.” Marinette replied.

“How smart of you. You’ve always been such a sweetheart.” Emilie said as she smiled at the young woman, “No wonder our boys are so enamored with you.”

Immediately, Marinette’s face tinged red as she threw her hands up, almost in defense. “What? You know it’s not like that - Adrien and I don't think about each other that way!”

“Are you telling me? Or attempting to convince me so?”

“Uh.”

“There is also Felix. Nathalie tells me you gave him a handmade gift as well.”

“That’s not what it means!” Marinette was hitting mouse-like squeaks, with how high her voice was.

Emilie simply smirked at her, a mischievous look in her eyes.

Just as she was about to say something else, Emilie spied her younger son basically  _ slide  _ around the corner behind Marinette, signifying he was in a rush to get  _ somewhere.  _ She had only one guess, and there was no doubt it was to where they were right at that moment.

“Oh and look at that.” Emilie turned, “Adrien, you better slow down.” She playfully chided.

The young blond shot a look at his mom, one that screamed on the inside, but knew he could not outwardly say much, “Sorry, mom. Allegra warned me you had Marinette in your clutches.” He attempted to joke.

“No worries.” And with a smile that surely spelt trouble, she said. “I wouldn’t do anything to your pretty little girlfriend.”

Suddenly, the party felt more like a roast.

“Mom!” Unable to muster any other words, without tripping over them or even  _ worse,  _ accidentally pushing Marinette away, Adrien basically pleaded with his mom to stop.

“I promise you Mrs. Agreste, we aren’t like that,” Marinette added.

She quirked a brow in the baker's direction.

“ _ Emilie. _ ” Marinette corrected, before looking back and forth between both Agreste’s. “Adrien’s a very good friend.”

The said blond fought the urge to grimace, she made it as clear as day, he was simply  _ her friend. _

“And on that note, we’re going to enjoy the party!” Adrien redirected after a moment, putting his hands on Marinette’s shoulders and pushing her in the direction outside.

He could almost  _ feel  _ his mom’s smirking face, blaring right into his back.

But, nonetheless, Adrien wanted to enjoy this night. He started, as they were walking into the outdoor area, “Sorry, about my mom.”

“Don’t worry about it - my parents can be just as pushy sometimes.” Marinette replied.

“Yeah, but I’d love to be a part of your family.” Adrien replied, before realizing his mistake. “I mean! I love your family anyway!”

Marinette chuckled at his short ramblings, before their time was quickly cut short.

“Adri-kins, lets go dance!” Chloe but-in, placing herself between the two teens and putting one of his hands in her own. He immediately attempted to fight her off.

Marinette smirked at his surprised expression, before winking. “What a cute couple! Go enjoy your dance, _ Adri-kins. _ ”

Adrien fought the urge to scream in frustration.

“You mean a couple of  _ friends _ , right?” Adrien nervously attempted to correct, but Marinette was already walking away.

Alya watched the exchange, saying nothing as Marinette neared their group.

“What’s with that expression?” The young baker questioned the mischievous smirk on both Alya and Allegra’s face.

“Oh nothing.”

“You are just so oblivious.” Alya stated, to which Marinette stuck her tongue out at her.

The teens shifted their group over to where Felix was sitting, now surrounded by his closest companions sans Adrien. Felix was still sitting on a bar stool, Bridgette sitting in her own seat next to him while the others stood around and observed the party.

“You are an evil one, Marinette” Claude teased, watching Adrien attempt to keep Chloe at a literal arms-length.

“What?” She asked with a confused smile.

“She just doesn’t know.” Alya explained, to which Claude laughed lightly.

“Know what?”

Felix sighed, “Of my brother’s love- “

“For baguettes!” Allan interrupted while Claude put a hand over the blond’s mouth.

Felix pushed him off before crossing his arms.

Marinette simply smiled, remembering that Adrien  _ did  _ make a habit of visiting their bakery. However, he was more geared toward croissants, if she remembered correctly. Ah well, his gluten preferences could be changing on a weekly basis, for all she knew.

Nino, hoping to cut his  _ brother from another mother  _ some slack, transitioned the song to a different one. “Let’s switch it up!”

Adrien took that opportunity to immediately spring away, heading in the direction of their group.

Claude, always one for some good  _ tea to spill,  _ especially on a night like this, turned toward Marinette. “May I have this dance?”

With a kind expression, Marinette took his hand and let him lead her to the dancefloor.

Allegra chuckled at Adrien’s expression, obvious dissatisfaction seeping through his model-smile. Instead, he turned to Mylene, who was previously calling his name, and accepted her proposal to dance.

“Will this continue for the entire night?” Felix asked, a hint of a smirk on his face.

“Why? Thinking of getting a dance with the baker all for yourself, pretty-boy?” Allegra teased.

“I don’t see why not.”

Allegra felt her jaw  _ drop  _ while Allan simply shook his head. 

He knew the older Agreste for almost his entire life. For the Agreste twins, their mother’s major personality traits were split right between the two boys. Adrien was the sunshine child, but Felix was the  _ mischievous  _ one.

And while nobody noticed it, they were all playing right into his hands.

Allegra had a feeling that this was the more light-hearted and slightly, dare she say, playful Felix that they had seen this morning. Not that she was complaining, of course. It was rather amusing and a nice change of pace, to see their serious friend affected by the fun atmosphere of the party.

Bridgette, mustering enough courage and prayers to Jesus, stood up and asked. “Would you like to dance, Felix?”

He regarded her for a second, before putting on a lighter expression. “Sure.”

Alya and Allegra cheered their friend on from behind.

However, Allan, just a step away from them, had instead crossed his arms. He was well aware of Felix’s feelings toward the young woman from their many conversations in confidence. And, while it was rocky, Felix had also admitted to Allan that he would seriously vocalize how he felt to her tonight.

Allan only hoped it did not result in an akuma.

A casual pop song, one that did not at all scream intimate, but Bridgette mentally filed away this as a glorious memory. For a dancer, the amount of times Felix had danced in front of her could be counted on one hand. Of course, this did not include recitals or musicals, but in a casual setting like the one now.

And yet here Felix Agreste was, dancing alongside her at his birthday party.

She only hoped their next time would be a slow dance.

The party continued to flow on - guests enjoying refreshments and sweet sounds of pop hits. Allegra accepted dances with several different friends - ranging from Marc to Claude, time and time again. Alya, while she would have preferred to get a dance with Nino, hogged Marinette’s time whenever she was free.

It was no secret, to  _ anyone  _ in their class really, how Adrien felt about the baker.

And so every boy made sure to give Marientte a wide berth of space  (lest they get growled at like that  _ one  _ time Nathaniel had put his hand on her shoulder) .

But from the looks Adrien was shooting her, it seemed he was ready at any point to steal Marinette away. Alya’s eyes darted across the room, seeing all their other friends occupied and relenting that their teasing, mischievous plan may soon come to an end.

She let out a sigh of relief when Kim pulled Adrien to the side, into a conversation and allowing their game to continue for at least another song.

Bridgette handed a plate over to Felix, the two hovering over a table of desserts as they continued to peruse. He gestured over to the same high-table they were at before, and together they took a seat and enjoyed their sweets  (Felix’s much more bitter than hers, of course) .

This was the perfect night, in Bridgette’s eyes.

Felix looked over to Marinette and caught Alya’s eyes, the reporter silently beckoning him to join her instead.

The Agreste smirked - he was always one for a  _ little  _ bit of mischief. “Please excuse me for a moment.”

Bridgette nodded with a smile, feeling it slowly creep down into a frown as Felix approached her cousin.

It was nothing more than a harmless dance - that was all she told herself.

Marinette, completely unbeknownst to what was happening around her, watched as Alya shot a look over her shoulder. Not that she was  _ completely  _ unaware, but that she had no idea why her friends kept smirking and smiling at her, for the entire time she was on the dance floor.

“Why don’t you take my spot, pretty boy?” Alya teased at someone, causing Marinette to turn around just as Felix was behind her.

“May I?”

Marinette, eyes in every direction except for the young man in front of her, squeaked out a  _ sure!  _ in approval. But when Felix got closer, undoubtedly to  _ ya know  _ dance with her, Marinette was unsure what to do.

“Something wrong, Marinette?” Felix asked, the smirk on his face seemingly permanent at this point.

_ Marinette. _

She,  _ Marinette Dupain-Cheng,  _ was going to dance with Felix Agreste.

This was her friend, nothing more. Marinette has to reiterate that statement in her brain like a mantra. But at the same time, this was also  _ Felix.  _ The same Agreste boy who shared unexplainably intimate moments for someone they were not really close to. And, with their last interaction being one of those strange moments, it had Marinette instantly blushing and thinking back to it non-stop.

Believing the only way to drag her out of her stunned silence was through shock, Felix took her hands in his own and began to casually dance to the music. Marinette moved to the rhythm on instinct, allowing the boy to guide her as she had yet to say anything.

Allegra, who was previously speaking in a group with Rose and Alix, felt a tug on her elbow and saw Alya wink at her. 

“No way.” Rose commented.

Allegra stopped and turned toward the dance floor, spying Felix dancing with the  _ wrong member _ of the Cheng family.

Alix, now with narrowed eyes, turned to Allegra, “Do you think he… likes her?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” The blonde stated candidly.

From the outside looking in, Allegra would contest that the two  _ had  _ been acting strange as of late. And not just for the past two weeks or so, but ever since akuma attacks had started revolving around their schoolmates. It was almost as if they were familiar with one another, despite not spending any additional time together.

They had been acting rather mysterious the past few months - Marinette, who had been a constant at their movie nights for  _ years _ , would now often go missing from everyone, only to reappear with some flimsy explanation. The same could be said about Felix and Adrien, their suspicious amount of busy-ness increasing in the last while; however, much more subdued than Marinette’s continual disappearances.

Claude and Kim continued on about this up-and-coming television series, with Adrien pitching in every once in a while as Allan simply listened. However, his attention was dragged away by a certain inconspicuous blond.

Allan, who had been watching Felix in the corner of his eye, noticed him make a short beeline toward Marinette. He guarded his expression, making sure his surprise did not leak into his outward visage. The other boys had their backs to the scene, unaware of what was happening behind them.

However, he doubted their unawareness would last very long, many of the party-goers around them halting in their actions to simply  _ stare  _ at the couple.

Allan scanned the area for Bridgette, feeling an inward grimace at her obvious killer-intent.

There was no doubt of the young woman’s intense feelings for Felix. The number of times her infatuation got the better of her this school year alone held nothing to be imagined. Allan recalled the one time she had set one of Felix’s assigned lab partners on fire. (However, she did say it was  _ by accident  _ that they had gotten too close to the Bunsen burner.) 

He watched as Bridgette’s clenched fist, one even shaking from her pure emotions, released into an open palm. Allan observed silently as the young woman, eyes previously narrowed in fury, took an exasperated sigh and  _ turned away. _

Surprised at the development, Allan widened his eyes and let them follow her to the opposite side of the garden, toward the dessert table.

Claude, curious as to what he was looking at, turned around, only to stop at the couple at the dance floor.

_ Fuck, that cover was blown.  _ Allan thought, taking a sip of his punch and saying nothing as he averted his eyes.

“No way…” Claude dragged on, before turning to the blond with teasing words, “Maybe your brother has more game than I thought.”

Adrien, who was looking at photos Kim was showing on his phone, looked up for a second only to jump to attention at the scene.

_ Felix was dancing with Marinette? Before he was able to? _

“Wow, they actually look kinda good together.” Kim commented.

“But they don’t really know each other.” Adrien contested.

Kim smiled, shrugging as he said. “The heart wants what the heart wants.” 

“Besides, they’re both single. Where’s the harm?” Claude added onto the fire, watching the blaze of a thousand suns light behind Adrien’s green eyes.

_ Maybe it’s just the push he needs,  _ Claude mused as Adrien regarded the couple with a frown. Instead, the young man relished the moment as he took out his own phone and took a picture.

“Thanks, Felix.” Marinette gathered enough courage to say, now at the end of their dance.

He simply nodded and made his way over to Allan while Marinette turned to Alya.

She was expecting to get pounced on immediately with questions, but the reporter’s silence was tantamount to her anxiety. Allegra, who was notorious for teasing and overall banter, was notably quiet upon her return. Felix, expecting the same, was surprised to be met with casual greetings from both Allan and Claude.

Adrien, however, was already on the move.

Emilie watched with knowing eyes, a smile on her face.

She would confess that while she found enjoyment in watching her youngest son so  _ obviously  _ dodge his feelings and Felix, despite his prickliness, find best friends of his own, there was nothing compared to the utter happiness she felt at seeing her boys genuinely  _ happy.  _

Seeing Felix and Adrien, surrounded by their childhood friends - it was a moment she wanted to treasure forever.

And, as she peered over at her husband, it seemed Gabriel was thinking something along similar lines.

Their lifestyles did not allow for a lot of time with their kids - the Agreste brand basically at the forefront of modern-trends while housed in the fashion capital of the world. His designs faced criticism at all ends of the earth while she, as an actress, had to put up a front of a perfect lifestyle.

And while their privileges and overall lot in life was a double-edged sword, Emilie was eternally grateful that her sons were able to have happy lives of their own.

Emilie wanted to savor moments like this; she could not guarantee how much longer they would last.

She turned to her husband, “It’s a wonderful night.”

“Indeed, it is.” He replied in a soft tone, taking her hand in his much larger one, as the two parents watched the party go on.

She leaned into his side, appreciating the view, until a notably loud clap of thunder interrupted their comfortable silence.

Immediately, the two straightened and looked into the distance, further into the city where the sound had come from.

Partygoers kept about their business, dancing to Nino’s jam as the sound of music drowned out everything in the block radius. Emilie was wondering if they should chalk the noise up to a car accident or some other event not too far away, but Gabriel kept his analytical eyes in the distance.

“I can’t recall this being on the weather forecast.” He noted, watching the sky morph into dark greys and blues. Emilie lightly bit on the inside of her cheek, a tell of her rising anxiety.

Not a second later, Nathalie came rushing out of the house. “Emilie, I recommend you bring the children in immediately. There is an akuma attack only two blocks from here.”

The parents regarded each other for a second, before springing into action. 

“And now it’s time for the slow dance.” Nino announced into the mic, romantic music suddenly encompassing the air.

Adrien, not missing the opportunity, was already on the way to take Marinette’s hand. Alya, whom she was currently talking to, put up no qualms as the couple walked away.

The blond wasted no time in pulling her close, savoring the rosy flush that dusted her cheeks as his hands came to rest around her tiny waist. He made sure to hold her close, to make Marinette remember  _ their  _ dance, and not anyone else’s.

“Adrien.” Marinette said out of surprise, the noise coming out more like a breathless whisper.

“It’s just you and me, right now.” He replied, to which the young woman said nothing in response. Instead, she followed his lead while attempting to calm down her beating heart.

Adrien savored the moment, his arms tightening slightly from around her waist as she loosely dangled her arms around his neck.

Bridgette’s face resolute and filled with a new determination, neared Felix’s group with the addition of Allegra. She took one look at Felix,  _ for only a second,  _ and it seemed his eyes were already on hers as if he was reading her thoughts.

Not one to give up before trying, Bridgette asked as she stood, “How about the slow dance, Felix?”

He looked at her then,  _ just really looked - _

Felix had done everything in his power to essentially push her away. And while even he would admit that went against his well-mannered-upbringing, she was just so… Bridgette. At first, everything about her screamed for him to run away. She was loud and assertive, generally unwilling to listen to him even when he outright said,  _ ‘No _ .’

However, Felix would concede that Bridgette’s friendship was one that he appreciated. There were times she proved to be a valuable friend - being a good group mate on class projects, her overall kindness, and showing genuine interest in her close circle of friends.

But her feelings, while they were not ill-will, was nothing more than infatuation.

And  _ that  _ fact bothered him to no end.

She acted on it like an obsession - constantly following him around at school, somehow knowing every public event in his schedule, insisting on his time without regard for his opinion - it was, to say the least, off-putting.

And while Felix would admit Bridgette was a kind, beautiful young woman - he was simply not interested in her.

Felix had once desired for Bridgette to simply be his  _ friend  _ \- as one of the few people who could read his tells and personality, she could have been one of his closest friends.

A distant part of his mind compared it to that of Adrien and Marinette’s relationship - built on years of trust and mutual effort. Or even that of Allegra and Claude; or Alix and Kim.

But now, he would always be wondering if Bridgette would have a separate agenda when trying to get close to him. While she did not seem like the type, nor did she seem to have a single malicious bone in her body, it was hard for him to simply trust her when she would not even listen to a simple  _ No.  _

So it was easier for him to push her to an arm’s length, since he simply did not  _ want  _ to deal with that added drama - at least not until he could be reassured that he could trust her.

And right now, Felix did not.

Besides, he had enough drama as  _ Chat Nuit _ . 

Felix, breaking the silence now, put on a neutral expression and stood from his seat. In a rare show of physical action, he took her hand and led her, not to the dance-floor, but back inside the house.

He looked at her honestly and, once they had some privacy, started their much needed talk, “Bridgette, why do you claim feelings for me?”

She took in a breath, surprised at the question, but answered honestly.

Back with their friends, Allegra and Allan said nothing as the pair walked off.

“That didn’t look good.” Claude commented.

“I don’t know, honestly.” Allegra replied, “He didn’t have to take her hand and lead her inside.”

Allan shrugged, the closer to Felix of the two.

“Besides, didn’t he just ask Marinette to dance with him?” Clause asked.

Allegra bit her lip, obviously in thought and pondering the exact same things.

Their thoughts were broken when Mrs. Agreste walked up to the DJ booth, bringing the music to a halt and gathering everyone’s attention.

“Please make your way inside, as quickly and orderly as you can. There is an akuma attack as we speak.” Emilie instructed into the mic, the masses of teens slowly making their way indoors.

Allegra fought the urge to laugh at Adrien’s expense, his expression was one that _ screamed  _ of frustration, that his dance with his  _ not so discreet crush  _ was cut short. 

While most of the partygoers were heeding the warning, it was clear that they were a  _ little  _ more lackadaisical than Emilie would have preferred. If anything, the teens were filing in at a leisurely pace.

The sudden number of akuma’s had made many citizens rather complacent to each emergency. It was only last week when there was a  _ baby _ , of all things, akumatized for wanting a lollipop against his mother’s wishes. And while it was a huge inconvenience for many people’s morning commute that day, random akuatizations like that made many people halfheartedly heed the warnings. 

However, this all quickly changed in a matter of seconds, a flash of lightning and a  _ boom  _ that closely rang in the ears of all attendees.

Most now rushing in a sprinted frenzy, Emilie attempted to direct the now crazed teenagers into the safety of her home. Nathalie was doing the same, corralling most of them into one of their larger living room areas and leading them further inside the home.

“Tune into Paris’ number one weather girl: Stormy Weather!”

Despite not knowing where the sound was coming from, everyone in the nearby vicinity could undoubtedly hear the loud announcement.

It was alarming how quickly the weather was spiraling out of control. Their calm night filled with cool breezes was suddenly picking up in speed, the tendrils of heavy rainfall and lightning quickly growing around the unprepared crowd.

Tables and chairs, once set for the birthday occasion, were flipped and nearly carried away from the intense winds. Claude held firm onto Allegra’s hand, Allan not far behind as they dodged projectiles in their path. They only hoped that their other friends were faring better than they were.

“No. I understand, Felix.” Bridgette responded, the two inside the living room area while the storm ravaged outside.

“Thank you, Bridgette.”

“But know this, above all, I love you.” She continued, a certain gleam in her eye.

Felix lifted a brow - he should not have been surprised by the young woman’s determination, what with her stubbornly ambitious personality. He was used to hearing similar words from her on a daily basis - showering them to him as she entered homeroom, attempting to flirt with him during breaks, or even etching the phrase onto desserts she often gifted him.

At least now, he had attempted to clear the air and voice his concern.

It was up to her to take it to action.

From Bridgette’s expression, it was clear she wanted to say more, but there was a sudden influx of company in their once quiet room.

“Nathalie?” Felix regarded his father’s assistant, “Is something wrong?”

“There’s an akuma. We need everyone to stay indoors.” She instructed.

Felix took a quick scan of the room, seeing that  _ none  _ of his close-friends had made it inside yet.

They heard a loud crash against the front of the house, branches visible from the window indicating that their eighty-year old tree had been uprooted by the vigorous power of the winds. Felix moved on instinct, eager to simply  _ see  _ his brother and the others, and be reassured they are okay.

He would have taken another step forward, if not for Gorilla’s firm hand on his shoulder.

Bridgette bit her lip, they were not going anywhere.

A firm hand placed itself on Emilie’s upper arm, “Please come in as well.” Gabriel stated simply as he dragged along his wife back indoors.

While Gabriel often whined that  _ she  _ was the more emotional one, there was no doubt that he was often possessive of her safety - especially in light of the sudden escalation of akuma attacks.

Emilie looked back to see both Adrien and Marinette still outside. The latter was helping one of their friends, one Emilie recognized as Luka, helping his sister to get her feet in front of her. Marinette held one of her hands in her own, but the sudden rise and fall of Juleka’s chest emphasized her growing anxiety.

“Gorilla.” Gabriel turned to the bodyguard.

He nodded and followed directions wordlessly, stalking over to Adrien and personally overseeing his safety.

Felix took this as his cue to leave the living room, venturing behind the stairs and attempting to blend in more fully to the crowd of students. Shuffling alongside the wall, he made his way to the back inconspicuously, stopping every so often that he spotted a tuft of Nathalie’s hair. He paused at the window, watching the sudden wreckage outside.

Bridgette, despite what her heart was telling her to do, stayed put as Felix went away. She heeded his earlier words, not ones that especially hurt, but a wide-awakening that she needed to hear from him.

_ Prove to me first, that you can be a good friend. _

The young Cheng stood there, biting her lip as Felix went away. Forcing her eyes elsewhere, she walked to the double-door exit where her friends were still clamoring in.

“We’re alive!” Claude exclaimed, arms in the air as Allegra and Allan were panting alongside him.

Bridgette greeted him with a smile, “Let’s get further into the house, guys.”

Meanwhile, Adrien could spot his bodyguard bounding towards him. Gorilla was on a warpath, ready to take the youngest Agreste into the safety of the house. And while he would usually not fight it  _ this  _ much, he could not simply go inside while his friends’ safety was at risk. 

“Please,  _ wait. _ ” Adrien turned toward his bodyguard, “I’m not leaving them behind.”

Marinette shot a look at Luka, who simply nodded. While he would have preferred to take this as she was comfortable, there was simply  _ no time  _ before who-knows-what could happen to them. Putting his hands beneath her knees, Luka lifted his sister up bridal-style and bounded toward the door.

Marinette attempted a placating smile toward Juleka from behind them, trying to keep her anxiety from rising even further. However, with the rising wind and lowering temperatures, Marinette had to fight  _ her own  _ anxiety regarding the safety of her friends. She had not yet seen Alya nor Nino in the pack of teens.

The baker was only a step behind Luka when a medium-sized tree separated their small pack. 

“Marinette!” Adrien yelled, halting instantly. It took a  _ sharp  _ tug of Gorilla’s infamous strength to continue dragging the young blond.

Marinette, with a grace usually unseen from the young woman, dodged the tree and slid to the side.

Leaning low to the ground and scanning her surroundings, Marinette watched as the rest of her friends headed inside. There was no one left outside, at least none that she knew of, and decided this may be her only opportunity to transform.

And while she wanted to placate her friends first, there was no telling if she would be able to leave their sights if she entered the Agreste home.

Taking one look at TIkki, who had floated out alongside her in the desolate outside area, the Kwami nodded in approval that this was the time to transform.

Running in the opposite direction of the safety area, Marinette navigated her way through the gate, openings made between the bars as trees and other projectiles hurled through them before. There was not a single soul left outside, the streets and cars abandoned as the weather picked up exponentially.

“Tikki, spots on!” She exclaimed, transforming behind the safety of a pickup truck, before she headed toward the akumatized victim.

Time to figure out what she was really getting into. 

Emilie counted the kids, most of them moving further into the house and away from the windows leading outside. She had a moment of reprieve from her anxiety, seeing that both her sons and their father were safely inside. However, that only lasted for a moment’s breath, her heart suddenly pounding when she realized an agonizing truth.

_ There were two kids missing. _

She silently beckoned Nathalie with a look, not wanting to cause a panic with the crowd of already stressed teens.

Felix took Adrien by the elbow, quickly dragging his brother before any of their other friends could get to either of them.

“Give me the ring.” He stated in a low tone.

“ _ What? _ ” Adrien asked, more surprised than unsure. “Nobody has ever seen Chat Nuit during the day.”

“Adrien, everyone is going to notice if  _ you  _ go missing.” Felix countered.

“Gorilla is watching both of us.”

“But the party is revolving around you.”

Adrien bit his lip, thinking for a couple more beats, before nodding at his brother. He trusted Felix with his life, this was just another time Adrien proved it.

Discreetly slipping the magical ring off his finger, the young Agreste slipped it into the palm of his hand and walked away wordlessly. He would have to fend off his friends in the meantime, but Felix had the hard part now.

Gorilla watched Felix in the group that headed upstairs, earlier mentioned in passing to Nathalie that he would rather retreat to his room alone. And while she wanted to contest, there was no doubt that Felix held a serious conversation with his enamored friend just now. The assistant had seen the two of them sneak off into the house earlier, neither looking that happy. 

Despite not knowing the exact contents of what was said, Nathalie knew Felix held no further feelings for Bridgette, or anyone really. And so she doubted it would be comfortable for either of them to be in such close quarters. And, in a small form of mercy, Nathalie let Felix have his time alone.

Unbeknownst to her and Gorilla, Felix made his way to the upstairs guest bathroom and transformed into the hero of the night -  _ Chat Nuit. _

“Plagg, claws out.”

Ladybug was on the run, dodging the gusts of wind and flashes of lightning that  _ Stormy Weather  _ was hurtling at her. Turning a corner, she ducked into a subway passage in hopes of shaking her off her tail.

“Where’d you go  _ hero _ ?” Stormy Weather frustratedly shouted, “You don’t want to miss  _ this  _ broadcast!”

Ladybug grimaced, opening up her yo-yo and seeing that her partner was active, but had yet to make an appearance. She clicked the screen, attempting to give him a call and  _ hurry up already,  _ when a firm hand placed itself on her shoulder.

She yelped in surprise, turning around and nearly choke-slamming the person who touched her.

“Someone is on edge.” He observed, dodging her earlier attack.

“You can say that, kitty.” She replied, “Welcome to the party, Chat Nuit.”

“I didn’t exactly receive an invite.” Chat sassily replied, “Or was that to your  _ boyfriend _ instead, Chat Jour?”

Her face blushed red immediately, “You know we’re just  _ heroes,  _ Chat.” She put her hands on her hips, “And since when do you joke around on the job?”

Felix withheld a biting answer - after all, it was hardly a secret that Ladybug’s feelings were vastly different between him and his daytime counterpart. He was the reliable ally, the friend. And somehow, Chat Jour, aka Adrien Agreste who was so sorely in love with their classmate, was the object of the heroine’s affections.

Felix could not deny the regard he gave the superhero - not exactly love, a celebrity crush if anything, if he had to place a label on it. And she, who just happened to be enamored with Chat Jour. And Chat Jour, the last piece to this puzzle, who was completely entranced by Marinette.

He almost snarled at the irony of their ridiculous love-square.

Instead, Chat regarded her with a flat expression, before turning away and ignoring her question. “Do you have an idea as to where the akuma is?”

Ladybug sighed, before opening up an earlier broadcast to when the victim was first akumatized. “I have a few ideas, what do you think about this?”

The two partners took advantage of the moment of peace and continued to discuss a plan of attack. It was moments like this that Ladybug appreciated having a partner.

She was not alone.

“Wait, where’s Marinette?” Bridgette asked Allegra back at the Agreste mansion. The blonde, who was once sitting down on the leather ottoman, immediately stood up and scanned the room, looking around anxiously for their  _ clumsy  _ friend.

_ What if she tripped?  _ Allegra felt the treacherous thought creep into her mind, anxiety spiking even more so than before.

“Wait, she was right behind us.” Juleka reasoned.

“But that tree fell between us.” Luka recalled, his mind playing through the last ten minutes since they had last seen her.

Bridgette watched the rise of panic and uncertainty in the usually calm, guitarist’s eyes. She bit her lip, she knew Felix had made his way upstairs earlier and wondered if Marinette had been in that group as well.

Nino joined the group, adding to their rising panic. “Alya’s missing too!”

Bridgette not liking this, tried to alleviate their trepidation, “Maybe they went upstairs with Felix. Let me go check.”

Nino followed behind her wordlessly, the two teens scanning each and every face they came into contact with. Bridgette flowed through the open rooms, not seeing Marinette nor Alya in any of the guest bathrooms or anywhere else on the floor. 

They found Adrien in his room, opening it to other party-goers as they sat by the wall farthest from the windows.

“I’m glad you guys are okay.” The blond approached them the moment he caught sight of Nino’’s cap. But their facial expressions nearly silence him, “What’s wrong?”

Bridgette felt her voice waver, “We can’t find Marinette, Felix, or Alya.”

“Oh, Felix is in his room - he just needed a second for something.” Adrien quickly covered on his brother’s behalf, before he took in all the names that were stated. He felt the blood drain from his face, “Oh no.”

“Dude, when was the last time you saw either of the girls?”

“Marinette, there was the tree - Gorilla wouldn't let me stop - and now she didn’t make it inside!” Adrien rambled, now walking in circles as he remembered Marinette’s run to safety skid to a stop  _ right before his eyes.  _

Bridgette paused, “Is there  _ anything  _ we can do?”

The blond took a long look out the window, in the direction of the now darkened sky, screaming of doom to anyone who dared ventured beyond the safety of the four walls.

Adrien sighed, “No, there isn’t.”

Nino wanted to say something,  _ anything  _ really to help out his best friend. Right before the words could even formulate in his mind, the three teens felt a simultaneous  _ ding  _ in their pockets.

_ The Ladyblog has gone live, click here to check it out! _

Bridgette read the notification out loud, while Adrien rushed to get it on the bigger TV screen in his room. Nino, stood stock still, was still integrating the information in his mind that Alya had basically  _ run to the danger _ .

The disbelief in his system was astounding.

“I’m going to call the others to come here, stay with Adrien?” Bridgette asked, to which Nino silently nodded.

The live footage popped onto the screen, the teens silencing as they watched their friend and classmate narrate the scene. The camera was pointed at the brunette, introducing herself as she obviously struggled against the intense weather.

_ This is Alya Cesaire, reporting to you live in downtown Paris, showing you exclusive video footage of the akuma - Stormy Weather! _

She switched viewpoints of the camera, the wind howling in the background as she zoomed into a striped-akumatized victim, weilding an umbrella like a gun.

“Is that Aurore?” Mylène asked from her spot next to Ivan, recognizing their schoolmate.

“She did say she had something else to do before she got to the party.” Rose recalled.

Allegra and the rest practically rushed their way into the room, their phones did not have enough signal to play the live broadcast earlier in the den. Undoubtedly, they were eager to crowd around the television and see if their missing friends were okay.

_ Our heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir are facing the onslaught of wind without hesitation. How will our heroes save the day this time? Stay tuned as I give you live updates on the fight! _

“Unbelievable. Do you think Marinette is with her?” Allan asked.

Adrien hesitated, “No, I don’t think so.”

Alya followed the object of breaking news - even despite the raging winds and ongoing danger. She narrated as she went, taking in the duo that was Ladybug and Chat Noir as they fought together.

“You go Ladybug!” She cheered, thinking her words would be of encouragement.

All three pairs of eyes snapped onto hers.

Stormy Weather aimed her umbrella at the young reporter, firing off a blast of lightning. Shocked with fear, Alya felt her hands shake as she attempted to simply move out of the way. Before she could take another breath, she felt her legs go out from under her as she was whisked away by her favorite hero. The teens, huddled around the television, continued to watch the now choppy and muted broadcast. 

Nino took a silent breath of relief, watching the heroes carry off Alya to safety.

Adrien recognized their route and exactly  _ where  _ they were dropping Alya off.

“What are you even doing outside, Alya?” Ladybug reprimanded as Chat Noir ran alongside her, more obviously annoyed.

Her eyes shone, “You know my name?”

Chat ignored the question, cutting in saying, “What you did was careless. What if we could not save you in time?”

Alya bit back, “How did you know I wasn’t already out here?”

Ladybug could not help but roll her eyes at her best friend’s stubbornness, “Go back inside to where it’s safe.”

“I hope you realize you put not only yourself, but us in danger.” Chat continued.

Ladybug took a leap off the roof, swinging and dropping right outside the doorstep of the Agreste Estate. Her voice was serious, “This time, stay here at the party and don’t you dare come out.”

Alya frowned as she silently nodded, fully chastised by her hero.

The door swung open within seconds, “You’re okay!” Nino exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s get inside.”

“Keep an eye on her.” Chat stated, getting a firm nod in response from Nino.

Ladybug turned, about to swing away when she heard someone call for her.

“Wait!” Adrien yelled out, held back by Gorilla at the door frame. “My friend Marinette is missing. And I think she got corralled by a tree out here, please keep an eye out for her.”

Ladybug tensed at her identity, but was surprised to see that Adrien’s words had captured her partner’s attention as well. While she could not confirm this fact one-hundred percent, it seemed that Chat and Adrien nodded at each other in a silent conversation.

Chat regarded Ladybug with an intense look, saying nothing as his eyes seemed completely unreadable. She was tempted to say  _ anything,  _ before he finally said:

“We will.” Chat affirmed, before turning and heading towards the akuma.

Ladybug watched the door close, before following behind her partner.

“Lucky charm!”

* * *

Nino ushered Alya upstairs, to where the teens were now hovering the news broadcast lead by Nadja. She was in a helicopter, hovering the rooftop fight several blocks away.

Allegra commented the moment she saw Alya, “You almost gave me a heart-attack.”

Claude patted her on the head, “You are absolutely crazy and I cannot condone this behavior.”

Even Chloe chimed in, “Utterly ridiculous, Cesaire. What if you got hurt?”

Alya, feeling the heat of comfort and anger from her friends, smiled sheepishly before apologizing to the group. “I’ll try to be smarter about this, going forward.”

Nino crossed his arms, deep in thought, but saying nothing,

“Have you seen Marinette at all?” Bridgette asked as she neared the young woman.

Alya paused, a frown was all they needed as the answer. But she still verbalized, “No, I didn’t.”

_ Looks like our heroes are turning the tides in their favor! _ Nadja commented on the TV screen. The aforementioned heroes had launched the akumatized victim into the electrified billboard, loosening her hold on the umbrella as both of them rushed the dropped item.

Grabbing it and smashing the umbrella with her knee, Ladybug sighed in relief as she watched the akuma leave the item.

“No more evil-doing for you!”

The teens, while unable to hear exactly what was happening on the rooftop, exclaimed in both reassurance and joy as their hero purified the evil force. 

While Hawkmoth interrupted their party, Ladybug saved the night.

Chat watched his partner throw the luck charm, a bath towel, into the sky. She yelled out the basically famous line. “Lucky charm!”

Across the city, citizens watched as the sky cleared back to the cool, crisp night. Emilie smiled in relief, watching out the window as the red and pink magic transformed her entire backyard to how it was less than an hour ago.

There was still  _ one  _ glaring thing in the back of her mind. Emilie examined her backyard again, opening the doors and allowing the teens to flood out from behind her. She turned towards Gabriel, whom she had conversed with about this very topic earlier -

If everything was restored back to normal,  _ where was Marinette? _

“Bien Joue!” Ladybug raised her enclosed first toward her partner.

Chat took it, smirking as he stated the phrase back to her.

He had  _ one particular _ thing on his mind, though.

“Are you alright?” Ladybug turned to Aurore, “Do you want us to take you home?”

“No, it’s alright.” The blonde replied, getting up as she held her head. “I should go apologize to the producers downstairs.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“And... I’m so sorry, Ladybug.” Aurore added, with a sheepish expression on her face.

“You didn’t cause this, Hawkmoth did.” Ladybug affirmed. Aurore nodded, before heading down the stairwell. “Good work today, Chat.”

He nodded silently, before asking. “I can’t help but wonder, how did you know that young reporter’s name?”

Chat watched her suddenly tense up - he could almost  _ see  _ the lie forming from her lips. “Well, I am a  _ teenager  _ just like you. I have social media and I prefer to follow some of my biggest fans, just in case of an akuma sighting or just in general.”

“Right. And that is how you knew to drop her off at the Agreste home, rather than her own?” He vocalized his observation.

“Yeah!”

“And also how you knew the Agreste’s were throwing a party.”

He saw Ladybug’s smile twitch, “Of course!”

Chat raised a brow at her; her own expression showing that she lacked conviction for  _ her own  _ words.

“Right. Until next time, Ladybug.” He stated in goodbye, before jumping away.

Ladybug bit her lip, that did not go well. But, she had something more important to deal with - like attempting to casually get back into the party.

She aimed for the Agreste Estate, swinging onto their rooftop and making her way down through a window. Ladybug de-transformed there in the bathroom, listening to the footsteps of other party-goers before making her escape. She saw most of her friends in Adrien’s room and knew there was  _ no way  _ they were going to buy that she simply waltzed in.

Marinette had to think of a plan and  _ fast.  _

Felix dropped into his room, completely devoid of a single soul aside from himself. He replayed Ladybug’s response in his head a few more times, before opening  _ Instabook  _ on his phone.

Posts on his profile were few and far between, the last one was one he  _ had  _ to do since it was a sponsored post for their father’s new line and he would  _ murder him  _ if Felix did not. He had selective classmates on his profile, preferring not to post anything since it would just lead to more issues wherever he went. 

However, there was one thing for certain - there was not a  _ single  _ post about their party.

His parents maintained a strict rule that this party was going to be on a need-to-know basis, only party goers and parents were in the know. No posts on social media, no gossiping about it to the reporters. Party-goers were sworn to display pictures and videos of the party only  _ after  _ it was over. 

Felix scrolled through again, seeing that even Chloe had made due on the radio-silence promise.

There was no way Ladybug knew about this party - at least not from online sources.

Which meant only one thing: Ladybug herself was an attendee of  _ his  _ birthday party.

Felix, now suddenly hyper aware of this information, was sure that  _ the heroine of Paris _ was undoubtedly one of his classmates.

He drifted to the next room over, observing his friends and other acquaintances in their little celebration.

_ But who could it be? _

Allegra and Mylene praised their heroes while Claude had his eyes glued to the screen, admiring Ladybug’s fighting skills and silently wishing for the same. Bridgette was standing alongside Alya, the two smiling at their enthused friends.

“What an occasion to need alone-time, dude.” Nino greeted Felix first.

Saying nothing, Felix simply regarded him as he walked further into the room.

“Maybe he doesn’t like Paris’ heroes.” Alya teased.

“Yeah, right.” Allegra cut-in, “Just wait until you see him in his ladybug pajamas.”

Felix rolled his eyes, “Those are Adrien’s.”

The younger Agreste blushed, but countered. “Well, I  _ am  _ a Ladybug fan and Marinette made them for me!”

“There ya go.” Alya quiped, sharing a look with Allegra.

“Wait.” Adrien halted the conversation, “Marinette should appear back downstairs.”

“What happened?” Felix asked, but Adrien was already up and out the door, looking for his friend.

Alya explained, “We couldn’t find Marinette ever since that tree in the back fell and we all got separated.” Felix took in her words carefully, before following the crowd back downstairs.

Inconspicuously making her way down, Marinette casually traipsed her way to the living room and made her presence known to Emilie first.

“Marinette!” She exclaimed the moment they made eye-contact, “Oh sweetie, I’m glad you’re okay.” Throwing her arms around the teenager, Marinette enjoyed the mother’s embrace for a few seconds before spotting her friends on their way down the stairs.

Adrien’s eyes lit up, “Marinette!” He jumped down the rest of the stairs and rushed over to his friend. He grabbed her in his arms, almost lifting her off the ground as he went. “God, we were so worried about you. What happened?”

The young baker was almost instantly surrounded by her friends. Different friends dragging her into a hug, as if to reassure themselves that she was here - safe and sound.

“Well, that tree blocked my way in and there was no way I was going to try climbing over it. I followed the crowd and hid in the subway to get away from the wind.” Marinette replied.

“And that’s why we couldn’t call you.” Allegra voiced aloud, remembering how their calls went straight to voicemail.

Adrien grabbed her hand, “I’m so glad you’re so safe.” Claude playfully cleared his throat. “ _ We  _ are! We’re so glad you’re safe.” Adrien corrected with a sheepish expression.

The other teens simply smiled, one thought on all their minds -  _ this boy was so obvious. _

Marinette smiled at his oddly nervous behavior, before kissing him on the cheek. “Happy birthday, Adrien.”

Felix watched on from a distance, arms crossed as he stared down the young baker. That was a good explanation - one so good that it had the older Agreste twin back-tracking in his thinking. But there was no doubt that Ladybug had been lying just a few moments ago.

There was nothing on social media, not a single hint that Alya should have been  _ here tonight.  _ And it was not like Ladybug had even asked the young reporter where she needed to be dropped off - the heroine headed straight here without question, confident in reasoning and directions.

She slipped up and there was no doubt that Ladybug was among their friends right now. And with so many people hidden within the safety of Adrien’s for the entire duration of the akuma attack, that only left one real option left.

All logical reasoning led to one person, to which Felix did not want to mentally confirm. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be capable and in the long scheme of things, it would not be all that surprising. Their clumsy friend who had a strange knack of taking charge and being head-strong in the face of supernatural beings - while also kind-hearted and eager to lend a hand to all her classmates.

The only thing holding him back now was fear that his suspicions were correct… 

But after all that has happened….

Could Marinette be... Ladybug? 


	2. More Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix gains more suspicions and the group starts to notice.

A huge part of Marinette wanted to give Felix the benefit of the doubt. While it felt a little  _ too _ coincidental that her friend was suddenly around her  _ too  _ often, she could not say without a shadow of a doubt that Felix was stalking her.

But really, he totally was.

Felix had always been a strange figure in her life - a friend with many shared interests and a quick snipe at Chloe, but not one she was particularly close to. 

And yet…

He was making himself decidedly known in her life. With no preamble, Felix was suddenly visiting her at the bakery, ordering the pastries his family so desired that Adrien was  _ usually  _ the messenger for. And while Marinette was not complaining at her strengthened friendship with Felix, it was definitely a surprise that her childhood friend was not the one knocking on their door as frequently.

It only continued to snowball.

_ “Marinette, I have a runway show downtown and I wish for you to accompany me.” _

_ “I have suggestions about the costumes for the musical, let’s go to the library.” _

_ “Come — you can gather inspiration in the studio.” _

More and more, Felix had reasons to occupy her time and spend it together. It was getting to the point where he would shoot her a look between classes or at lunch and suddenly she was in the Agreste limo to a show somewhere in Paris.

Even Allegra, Felix’s closest female friend for years, had commented on it to Marinette.

“If I were anyone else I’d be jealous. But I’m glad he decided to open up to  _ you _ .”

_ … Was that what this was? _

“What do you mean?”

“Felix has always been emotionally stunted. And while Bridgette is my girl….” Allegra trailed off, “She’s not exactly the outlet that Felix feels comfortable around.”

“I understand.” Marinette stated, “Whatever he feels comfortable with, I’m just grateful that he’s trying.”

“Yeah, I will say one thing though.” Allegra turned toward her seriously, “Be honest with him. Felix is one of my best friends and if you can make him genuinely happy…. Just  _ don’t think about what other people say or expect of you _ .”

Marinette lingered on that thought for a while, even into the night as she wondered who exactly Allegra was referring to. Was it of her cousin? She was more than aware of Bridgette’s feelings for the blond, but it was not like Felix was approaching her with romantic intentions.

They were just friends, right?

But even Alya had cornered her one day. She was often with the reporter and it was most palpable to her when Felix had started taking up her time. Lunch between classes, spending time together after school, it was like Alya had to pencil in a block of time with Marinette a week in advance. And when Marinette was out at some runway event during girls night, Allegra shrugged and Bridgette was suspiciously quiet.

“Do you think Felix likes you?” She had asked Marinette the next day.

She thought back to their interactions, nothing particularly outstanding to be considered non-platonic, “I don’t think so…?”

“Just be careful, girl.” Alya said after a couple beats, “Sort out your own emotions before anyone gets hurt.”

“Do you honestly think so?”

Alya stood for a second, a hand on her chin before answering, “I’m not sure. But I do know one thing, he gives you a lot more attention than you realize.”

“Oh.” 

Even Tikki warned her one night. “Just be a little careful around Felix.”

“Something wrong?” Marinette asked, suddenly suspicious.

“Just a feeling!” Tikki waved her little palms, “It is a bit strange for him to do this out of nowhere! He might be watching you a little too much; it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

“Right.”

The last thing she needed was for  _ Felix  _ to find out her secret.

On a night that she had scheduled patrol hours with Chat Nuit, Marinette was rushing through one of her new fashion designs while still after school for the art club. It was easy to lose track of time when engrossed in her passion and even moreso when she had tons of assignments due within the week.

“Think I can make it as Ladybug?” Marinette asked toward Tikki.

“It might not be safe to transform this close to school…” The kwami mused out-loud. Nonetheless, Marinette continued to pack up quickly and debated how fast she could run home as a civilian.

Glancing at her watch one more time, Marinette squinted toward the sky in wonder before she felt a tap on her shoulder. Tikki zipped back into her purse and behind her was her silent savior in the form of  _ Felix Agreste  _ offering her a ride home. 

((And while she was more privy in receiving rides from Adrien, he was at fencing practice today while Felix was still on campus for dance.))

“You seem rather in a rush to get home, Marinette.” He commented across from her, both teens sitting in his family’s limo. Felix had a book open and seemed to be lightly perusing it, not even facing her direction as he spoke.

“I — uh. I forgot I had a special errand tonight!” Marinette pulled out of her ass, a careful smile as she tried to fool Felix. 

It was still a little surprising to hear him address her by her  _ first  _ name, after all this time. Hearing it, especially one-on-one, made her particularly nervous. Her relationship with Felix went from baby steps spanning years to running an entire 400 meters in a matter of a few days. 

It seemed  _ that  _ answer grabbed his interest. 

“Oh?” He closed the book in his lap and raised a careful brow in her direction. “Is there a different destination you need besides your home?”

“No!” Marinette immediately interjected, the nerves of steel associated with Ladybug not present in the least. “This is more than enough. Thank you, Felix.”

He nodded, but did  _ not _ look away.

And somehow, Marinette felt like she somehow  _ lost  _ that conversation.

Felix, on the other hand, could admit that he was  _ not  _ exactly being subtle. However, he contested, there was hardly any subtle way to go from being generally disinterested to suddenly investigating if his distant friend was the other half to Paris’ heroes.

He needed ways to get to know Marinette better; and not in the  _ whats-your-favorite-color _ kind of way. Felix honestly knew a lot about Marinette - he knew her major hobbies, her  _ actual  _ favorite color, her favorite season and other pieces of casual information. What Felix needed insight on was Marinette’s schedule, her daily routine so he could possibly catch the disconnect between her and Ladybug.

And if she was always spending time with  _ him _ , Felix would notice if she suddenly disappeared during an akuma.

But there were also little things that were slowly opening his eyes.

Marinette’s kindness and determination when dealing with her schoolmates or even better, her designs. The extra effort to keep an eye on her only served to make Felix more comfortable in believing the lady of his heart was Marinette.

Wait, what?

_ Scratch the romantic part. _

First, he needed  **absolute** proof, before he addressed any…  _ feelings. _

“Don’t tell me both twins are crushing on the same girl.” Plagg asked with a growing smirk, wondering aloud as he floated alongside Felix in his bedroom.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Oh, so you like stalking Marinette just for fun?”

Felix rolled his eyes, “I’m just trying to get to know her better.”

Plagg raised a non-existent eyebrow, “But  _ why  _ when you already have the other pig-tailed one chasing after you _?” _

“Ladybug is chasing after Chat  _ Jour,  _ not me.”

“Ladybug? I was talking about your classmate!”

Felix paused in his steps, “Pig-tailed…”

Plagg immediately attempted to back-pedal, “I mean not that they’re the same person! Just y’know, her hair!”

Felix mulled over the Kwami’s words, narrow eyes making even the godlike creature worry he had said too much.

“How do you know they’re not the same person?” Felix asked, watching his green eyes anxiously dart left to right. The moment stretched before Felix confined his thought, “So you are aware of Ladybug’s true identity.”

Plagg straightened and, unsure if he trusted himself, flew away through the walls to Adrien’s room, away from the stern twin’s prying eyes.

Felix sighed, but left it for another day.

At least he got a little piece of information out from that. If Plagg were aware of Ladybug, it’s possible the holder would be within close range of the Kwami and, by extension,  _ him as well. _

Felix just needed more evidence. 

When the next weekend rolled around, when surprisingly neither student had any particular plans, ( _ yes, Felix had checked and confirmed this fact) _ he decided to pop into the Dupain-Cheng Bakery unannounced.

Sabine waved him up with a smile, now used to seeing the aloof Agreste her daughter’s little group. Marinette had every right to wave him away when he knocked on her opening latch, possibly having plans to relax on their off day. But instead, in a way very Marinette, she threw Felix an easy smile and invited him up.

She was designing something for the upcoming musical, sketch pads filled with notes and ideas. He looked at the scattered sticky notes, offering his own criticism and praise on things he noticed.

Marinette took it all in stride, not wanting to question their growing friendship. She did notice that Bridgette was toning down on her outward affectations towards Felix. Alya had mentioned to her that she missed out on the drama at the Agreste birthday. Maybe  _ that  _ was why the more stern Agreste twin was comfortable in hanging out with her.

Thankfully, Felix was someone who really fueled her creative works. He was already well-versed when it came to fashion, but Felix was also a complete contrast to her in more ways than one. From his clipped words to his formal vocabulary, it brought about different ideas than being around his literal sunshine of a brother. 

“I see that you’re quite the fan of Chat Noir.” Felix noted, commenting on her multiple posters for the  _ nth _ time.

“Why do you find such delight in that?” Marinette asked, genuinely curious.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. It’s just a lot of people are fans of Ladybug. But you always seem pretty happy that I’m a big fan of Chat Noir.”

“I see.” Felix kept his answer short, “Many do not fully appreciate the work of the Black Cat and so I am glad he has another fan.”

To his surprise, Marinette smiled to herself as she stopped drawing. “I love Chat Noir.”

Felix stopped in his tracks, eyes turning back to Marinette as she hastily tried to resume drawing and avoiding his eyes. He did not question it further, but felt a small pit in his stomach grow at the thought that  _ maybe  _ Marinette  _ may _ love  _ him.  _

There was something different in the air, something they could  _ both  _ feel, resulting from her previous statement. How could she claim love for a superhero she barely knew? Unless she actually knew him  _ personally _ ? Felix asked himself this question three times while Marinette was doing mental hula-hoops, wondering if she pronounced herself as a self-proclaimed stalker.

A loud  _ knock knock knock  _ thankfully dragged them both out of their thoughts. 

Both Marinette and Felix turned to each other in surprise before Felix stood to open the latch.

“Adrien?”

“Fé?” Both twins looked at each other with varying degrees of shock, “What are  _ you  _ doing here?”

“Don’t you have fencing practice now?” Felix countered, folding his arms.

“Have and want are two different things.” Adrien defended, “Wait. Why are you here  _ alone  _ with Marinette?”

Felix blinked and stated not unkindly, “I just wanted to spend time with my friend.”

Adrien frowned, but didn’t push it any further. Whatever Felix was doing, he did not appreciate it but would rather not bring it up with Marinette right there.

The other Agreste twin was not blind — he could see it all. Felix was suddenly spending a generous amount of time  _ alone  _ with Marinette, speaking to her outside of class or inviting her to dance rehearsals. Allegra had commented once or twice on it, saying it was nice that Felix was finally coming out of his shell and that Marinette was the perfect person to help him through it.

Adrien should have felt something was wrong when Felix nearly questioned him about Marinette after their birthday party.

Long after school and with both twins exhausted, Felix strolled right into Adrien’s room and asked outright, “How did Marinette disappear during the party?”

Adrien pushed away from his desk and recalled the earlier night, going into detail at how she was separated from the pack returning to the home.

“I see.”

The silence extended, but Adrien could tell from the look on his face that Felix was deep in thought. 

“But she’s alright now, so that’s always good!” Plagg interjected, a nervous look on his face that Felix latched onto.

“Right.” Felix agreed, expression still blank. “Is it often that Marinette is suddenly missing during akuma attacks?”

Adrien physically recoiled, the thought having never bothered him before. As Chat  _ Jour  _ during the day, the time when akuma’s were most usually active, he never really noticed if his crush was notably missing from the group.  _ He  _ was usually the one missing.

“Honestly, I can’t remember.”

Felix nodded silently at his response.

“What are you trying to get to ice prince?” Plagg asked, trying to mollify the situation. “Don’t be so suspicious of your friend!”

Both boys ignored him as Adrien asked, “Have you noticed something?”

Felix looked away before returning it back to Adrien, “Yes, but it is only just an assumption. Nothing to worry about.”

Ever since that conversation, Felix was making himself decidedly present in Marinette’s life. And while Adrien was glad that his good friend was seeing the better side of his brother, something still did not feel  _ right. _

Adrien went from hanging out with Marinette nearly every day to just bumping into her by accident. The worst was when Adrien saw Marinette coming out of Felix’s room,  _ of his own damn house _ , without knowing she was even there. While it was apparently to work on the school musical, Adrien hadn’t been pleased at this sudden turn of events.

Adrien was two moments away from asking Marinette to join him for video games when she was free when he heard his name called out to him from the study.

“I heard Marinette has come over again.” Emilie started.

Adrien hesitated before answering, “Yeah, but she’s here with  _ Felix _ .”

“Sweetheart, it’s not often that your brother allows others into his world, right?” She asked. 

“ _ Yeah _ .” Adrien bit his lip in thought.

“And isn’t Marinette so kind?”

“...  _ Yeah.” _

“So it’s not a surprise that she has gotten others to open up to her, including your brother.”

“But mom…”

“Yes, I know you’d rather have your girlfriend to yourself. But—“

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Adrien interrupted.

“Right, just give it time. Okay?”

_ And he would’ve. _

But it became harder and harder to not make a scene when Felix was taking up so much of Marinette’s time. And they weren’t even in the same class! And yet one day, Adrien dropped by the bakery to pick up some of his own personal pieces of indulgences just to see Felix coming downstairs with Marinette in tow. 

He wanted to scream.

“Isn’t it kind of weird?” He asked Nino and Alya one day.

“I mean,  _ not really _ .” Alya defended before putting her hands up in defense, “Marinette’s always been the type to be friendly to everyone. It’s not strange to see Nino or I alone with her. I think it’s just that your cousin is finally accepting it.”

“I wouldn’t think too much about it, bro. Besides, they're just good  _ friends _ !”

If anything, Adrien was surprised that Bridgette had not kicked up a storm yet regarding this new change. But apparently she was taking her conversation with Felix to heart, which Adrien gave her mad  _ kudos  _ for being loyal to his aloof twin.

There was no doubt to Marinette, or any of the people around them, that their friendship was suddenly shifting into something much closer than prior to the school year. 

The man who had been such a question mark in her life, the one who weaved around mysteriously in and out, had quickly become a constant to her everyday life.

Maybe he wanted to be closer friends, like she had so blurted out when she gifted him his present?

But a part of her felt that his intentions had not been exactly the same as hers.

At least now, surrounded by her fellow classmates in Ms Bustier’s classroom, she had a moment of reprieve from Felix’s green eyes.

“Not a chance, Chloé.” Alya stated as she snatched the script from the blonde’s hands.

“Utterly ridiculous! A movie of our class should feature only the most  _ important  _ stars — meaning I would get the lead role.” She continued to demand.

Marinette sat away at her desk, just waiting for the moment Chloe would finally back off. She was fixing hair and wardrobe earlier for her temporary castmates for this group project, but now she was ready to just start filming. Much of the class was exasperated at her antics, annoyed that this was unnecessarily extending into their after school hours.

“The class already voted Chloe, take a hint would ya?” Alya countered, turning away and not bothering to listen to whatever came next.

Chloe stomped and attempted to plead to Adrien, but it was clear from earlier where his head was. 

The moment Nino distributed the script to the rest of the class, Adrien exclaimed, “Marinette and I can handle the kiss scene!”

The said girl jumped in her seat from surprise, but didn’t refute it outright. Alya laughed as she patted her on the shoulder, shooting her a playful wink as Adrien turned in his spot to smile at her.

But that seemed far from possible with Chloe yelling at everyone from Marinette, who sat passively in annoyance, to Mylène who had another lead role.

“You can’t even act properly, why would  _ you  _ get featured for this?” Chloe spit out viciously, Mylène rushing out the room in embarrassment, Ivan in tow, as Adrien chastised the blonde.

“Chloe, you can’t say that!” Marinette stood suddenly.

Alya added on, “Nobody even wants you in this film and yet you yell at Mylène. Why don’t you just leave?”

Chloe huffed and turned to Sabrina, who bit her lip in silence. And while she probably would have said something, the hesitation was loud enough for Chloe to stomp away in anger.

The room was silent for a good second before Nino, the ambitious director, brought everyone’s focus back to the project at hand. Nathan and Alix whispered something to each other, probably a quip of Chloe from the way both of them laughed in the direction of the door.

“I can go bring Ivan and Mylène back.” Marinette offered, before Alya interrupted.

“Wait, we can probably film some of the classroom scenes without them now.” Alya said, “Let someone from the crew get her so we can at least get some work done today.”

The reporter shot a look to Adrien, who suddenly straightened up in excitement and instead proposed, “I think the goodbye scene is in the classroom!”

Marinette squinted as she recalled that part of the script, “... You mean the kissing scene?”

“Well, if that is what’s on your mind Marinette, I’d be happy to oblige.” Adrien flirted, to which Marinette playfully rolled her eyes and went to the front of the classroom.

The other classmates were back in motion, a boom mic hanging overhead again as the two recited their lines.

The entire classroom of students watched the scene play out with bated breath, Alya even raising her hands to her cheeks to keep from squealing.

In front of all their classmates, Adrien stood with a casual hand on Marinette’s waist. The endearing lines, of the hero saying his final goodbyes before rushing into the battle, were soft on his lips as Marinette listened intently. She recited her dialogue back, naturally putting her hands on his chest and sliding upward to wrap around his neck.

There was no doubt that this was an intimate moment, one that surely everyone in the room was aware of. Alix bit her lip in happy suspense while Kim nudged her excitedly from his spot right next to her. Rose was holding onto Juleka’s arm tightly, squeezing intermittently in excitement as the two drew closer and closer.

Adrien’s mind, which was only minutes ago screaming in excitement, had all but emptied as Marinette gazed up at him with her bright blue eyes.

He tried his hardest to stay in character, only letting parts of his personality break his visage as Nino kept rolling.

_ “I love you, Marinette.” _

Marinette mentally recoiled in surprise, Adrien having said  _ her name  _ rather than the actual character’s name. But when there was no reaction from the other students around them, she figured she might have heard him wrong in the first place. Instead, her hands stayed carded around his neck, fingers brushed against the curly ends of his soft locks.

Adrien took his time in savoring the moment, his  _ first of many kisses,  _ he thought with a bit of glee. He rested his forehead against hers, skin lingering there as they shared a small breath.

.

.

.

**“My name is Horrificator! Fear my rage!”**

The mental whiplash Adrien got within the last ten seconds could have been enough to freeze the akuma in place. 

The akuma came flying out towards the group of teens, everyone scattering immediately to escape her gooey talons. Adrien’s eyes flew to Marinette, the one who was just in front of him, but she had made a quick escape out the door the moment Horrificator jumped further in the room.

Not for the first time this week, Adrien wanted to curse his luck.

Only a few blocks away from the suddenly true to life horror scene, Ms. Mendeleiev’s homeroom class was filming their own group project for the contest. With two ballet students in their class, it was no surprise that they voted to create their own musical.

Both Felix and Allegra had choreographed a couple dance near the fountain, the class completely silent as Claude filmed their impassioned dance.

There were no other words to describe the scene - it was  _ beautiful _ .

Their quiet and downright  _ rude  _ classmate was engrossed in a craft that put himself on such a vulnerable display. Many of the males in their year hesitated to dance in front of a crowd, but Felix was confident and displayed nearly an entire story with just his movement.

Bridgette, coordinating some of the background stage crew, stopped to admire the sight before her. Felix dancing, where he was able to bear his thoughts without his usual guarded restraint,  _ that  _ was how she wished their relationship was.

But she would have to work for it.

At the end of the scene, their first take of the day, Claude signalled an end to this section of filing and suggested a five minute break. Bridgette rushed the both of them, offering a water bottle to both as they gathered their breathes.

While Felix was usually not one to engage in group projects, this one struck a chord with him  _ and  _ Allegra personally.

“I’m sure  _ our  _ horror movie will win over your  _ dancing _ .” Nino taunted at the lunch table two days before, aimed at Allegra as they discussed their short musical.

“We’ll make you eat your words!” Allegra took the bait, standing proud with her hands on the table.

“I don’t know. With deadpan Felix over there, it might just put the ball in our court.” Alya fueled the fire.

The teen in question narrowed his eyes, “Don’t bother with Césaire and Lahiffe. Their half-baked premise will fall to our story.”

And just like that, the two groups were locked in competition.

Of course, there were plenty of other homeroom classes making their own group movies, but the taunting only made it more personal between the two very different groups of friends. Allegra strapped in their group to focus, asking for Bridgette and the others for insight as they mapped out a storyboard. 

Felix was present that night as well at Allegra’s home, staring particularly at a part of the story that Bridgette had written. She watched him outright, nerves on display as he mentally scrutinized her work.

“I appreciate the elements you are going for here.” He finally said.

Wait,  _ what? _

“You’ve written the male lead specifically to be imperfect, making it easier for the audience to relate to his character.” Felix noted, “Not many take this approach for a short film, but I…  _ enjoy  _ the way you’ve gone about it.”

“You hear that?” Allegra cut in, “We got the Felix stamp of approval!”

But Bridgette was already long gone on cloud nine, mentally bookmarking this moment in time as Felix commended something  _ she  _ had worked on! A part of her was glad that he was so straight-forward. Yes, it often led to heartbreak. But it also meant that his compliments were no empty thing.

Bridgette also could not help but feel like she was finally seeing what she was always missing out on. When she finally stopped chasing Felix from behind, she was able to stop and see his whole person.

Not just the crazy Manhwa character she had long developed in her mind over the years, but rather something much more real. 

His image was finally becoming  _ Felix. _

And as crazy as it may seem, his cordial side only made her fall in love with him more.

Working together on this project was finally giving Bridgette the perspective she needed. And while Felix as of last year would have run away at the prospect of being a groupmate, she was glad he was being so hands-on for this short film.

As the break between filming scenes neared a close, Felix noticed that Adrien had yet to text him back from two hours ago and instead opted to call his twin. 

But it did not even ring.

Felix tried two more times before chalking it up to the fact that Adrien was out of reach completely, probably under the guise of Chat Jour. Calls usually failed when the other was transformed, but Felix had yet to see any reports on an Akuma.

Just to test something, Felix turned to Bridgette and asked, “Has Marinette responded to you lately?”

Bridgette stiffened at the mention of her cousin, but went to check her phone to see nothing. 

“Let me try calling her.” She offered, Felix keeping a blank face while she fell for his trap.

But it went immediately to voicemail.

“That’s weird, maybe her phone is dead.” Bridgette stated, “It is  _ Marinette  _ after all. The clumsy girl probably turned it off during filming.”

“Or maybe even forgot to charge it!” Allegra added, before placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s probably nothing to worry about.”

Bridgette agreed while Felix kept his impassive face, filing this moment into his memory for later. If Marinette was Ladybug at this moment, while Nino’s group was filming, then surely someone would notice if one of their lead actresses suddenly went missing.

A solid hour and three scenes later, it was only when he received a call from his mother that it became serious. Now that Emilie was aware that Adrien was off the grid, she had asked him to check up on their group since even Gorilla was not in touch.

“That’s fine. We actually made a lot of progress today, so we can break and return tomorrow.” Claude patted him on the shoulder, giving him the out he needed without keeping the rest.

Packing up the supplies and bidding everyone goodbye took only a few minutes, before the close friend group of Felix’s walked the short amount of blocks back to the school. Bridgette was noticeably quiet, tension in her heart rising at the thought of Marinette possibly in trouble.

_ This girl was just a magnet for akuma’s… _

Allegra and Claude tried to keep the conversation light-hearted, “It’s probably nothing! You know how Adrien tends to run away, maybe he’s on a date with Marinette?”

But only two blocks away, they could see the enormous amount of pink goop creeping over the buildings centering at where their school was once standing.

Bridgette broke out in a run while Allegra searched through her phone, not seeing any new notifications for an akuma attack. Instead, she called the authorities herself, trying to help or get any information on their friends stuck in the goop. 

“Cheng, try not to get too close.” Felix warned her, “It could be acidic or even venomous.”

But when Roger was unable to ram through the goop, instead sucking up the car like butter, their worries only heightened.

“Not even metal? How are Ladybug and Chat Noir going to get inside?” Allegra asked the group hypothetically.

But Felix already  _ knew  _ how and why Chat Noir was inside.

… And if Ladybug was inside as well, that bode the question of how was that possible?

Meanwhile, Chat Jour had little time to wonder a question like that. Once akumatized Mylène interrupted their scene, their entire class scattered. And while he would have preferred to keep an eye on Marinette, he was suddenly running for his safety and Ladybug appeared out of nowhere to save the day.

After all, his Lady was always reliable. And that was all that mattered, right?

**\---xXxXxXxXxXxXx---**

“I don’t think it’s exactly fair to have an  _ actual  _ akuma in your horror movie.” Claude commented after the film festival, Ms. Bustier’s class declared winners for their movie, ‘Horrificator.’

In celebration for the group projects being graded and completed, both groups of friends agreed to let bygones be bygones and go out to dinner together. But, of course, that did not mean their saltiness had faded away.

“It wasn’t  _ against  _ the rules, was it?” Nino countered, raising a pointer finger to his head and smirking.

“Ugh. Second place doesn’t feel nearly as victorious.” Allegra added.

“Tough luck.” Alya stated and then winked, “But I’m sure we would have won anyway.”

Claude rose to the challenge, “Oh yeah? You’ll be eating those words next year.”

“Sorry, runner-up. I call it like I see it.” Alya stated.

“I think you guys did a beautiful job.” Marinette interrupted before it could go further. They could literally taunt each other the entire night, which is not something she wanted to sit through.

“Thank  _ you,  _ Marinette.” Allegra accepted.

“At least someone recognizes art.” Felix taunted, making Marinette raise a palm to her forehead as it only resurfaced the argument.

“Now they’ll never stop.” Adrien sighed alongside her.

A part of him was a little salty for a different reason altogether. After the dust had cleared with the akuma, their group was hesitant to continue shooting and instead used the film they had so far. Nino commented that the akuma b-roll was good enough and he could just use the real story. Which meant one thing about the original storyline, or rather the original  _ kiss scene,  _ it was all scrapped.

Adrien fought the urge to scream for the  _ nth  _ time in only a week.

His eyes slid over to where Marinette was sitting across from him, Felix to her right. Next to him was Bridgette, who was already munching happily on some of the bread. How this seating arrangement came to be, Adrien figured it was his especially bad luck coming back to bite him in the ass.

“Having  _ the  _ Ladybug and Chat Noir in your movie seems like a cheap shot though.” Allegra murmured to the air, eyes on a menu as she addressed no one particularly.

“Maybe they wanted to be part of a winning movie.” Alya replied back, also looking at the menu in her hands.

Marinette groaned aloud and put her menu down, “Ladybug would have surely appreciated both our movies.”

Felix felt his eyes naturally gravitate toward her, sticking to the words that she had said. Alya and Allegra both ignored Marinette’s attempt to placate the group, continuing with short snipes that even Nino and Claude added their own to; but Felix still had his attention on the baker.

_ After all, there was the possibility that Ladybug herself was saying that. _

“Can’t help but notice you were barely in your own movie.” Felix stated.

Marinette felt her hair stand in alarm and was immediately on the defensive, “Well, it couldn’t be helped! I got caught pretty early on by the Akuma.”

Adrien paused, remembering distinctly how Marinette was actually the  _ first  _ person to get away from Horrificator. But after that, she was nowhere to be found. It was only in the boiler room when he called her name had he found her again. Could it be…?

_ Nah, it was Marinette! _

So Adrien shrugged the thought away.

And if Felix was suspicious of her words, he did not lead on. Rather, he patted her on the head and simply stated, “I’m glad you’re safe, Marinette.”

The other conversation came to a swift halt.

“Felix!” Claude was immediately on him, leaning over in his seat toward the blond. “I directed our movie, don’t I deserve a pat on the head?”

He did not even hesitate for a second.

“No.”

“Oh, god. Here we go again.” Allegra commented.

“Come on!” He whined, “First you call Marinette by her first name and now she gets a pat on the head.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re not as cute as her.” Alya joked, winking at Claude.

Allegra turned this time, “Do I get a pat, Felix?”

“Also no.”

“Wow, I see how it is.” Claude held a feigned hand over his heart, before he joked and motioned toward him and the baker. “Just get married already.”

Allegra snickered for a quick second before she noticed how Adrien and Bridgette stiffened in their seat. Allan shot a look toward Felix, quiet throughout this entire interaction.

_ Shit. _

The topic of Marinette and Felix’s growing friendship was often one that  _ every  _ person at this table thought about.

Bridgette had asked Allegra this question a thousand times over the past two weeks, but with Felix spending time with all of them on their movie project, it had satiated that worry and casted it off to the side.

But now, it seemed that they were running back to the same old before the project, with Felix dominating most of Marinette’s time.

Bridgette remembered Allan’s words clearly.

_ “I won’t lie to you. Felix looks like he’s genuinely having a good time with Marinette and he’s been seeking her out almost every day. But they’re just friends, can you make peace with the fact that he’s happy?” _

She had resolved to be his friend above all else, but there was no lying about the title she would rather have in his life. Bridgette wanted to be the one with him every day, wanted to be the one that he called upon first in his life. What had changed? 

_ Why the sudden interest in Marinette? _

“It’s not like that.” Marinette was the one who broke the silence, responding to Claude’s earlier words.

Allegra tagged on, trying to alleviate the tension. She reached over and patted Claude on the head, to which he pouted in response.

“What? It’s not the same if it’s from me?” She retracted her hand and mirrored his feigned offense.

“Nope, it’s great!” Claude grabbed her hand and put it back, “This isn’t over Agreste, I’ll earn it. You’ll see.”

Felix rolled his eyes and returned back to the menu. Adrien was notably quiet, something that Nino and Alya both latched onto. Nino would always support his bro, but Alya felt the niggling feeling that something awful was only starting to build-up during this school year.

_ Marinette and Felix knew each other for years, why only now?  _ Alya wondered.

No matter what Marinette decided, whether neither boy or only one, she was her best friend. She would support her decision. But Adrien was her friend as well. The fact that he had yet to truly voice his feelings for her was hurting the both of them. 

Was this the push he needed?

“We were hoping to visit Jardin d'Acclimatation sometime in the next month.” Claude instead changed the topic to the nearby theme-park, hoping the now quiet table would follow.

Allegra latched on and added her two cents, pushing the conversation along as to move off the previous topic. And thankfully, at least on the outside, the teens were conversing again about the days off they had in the future and what the groups could do together.

“I was hoping Marinette could show me the ropes on some of her famous pastries.” Allegra commented.

“Sure, I’d love to share some tips.”

“Oh, me too!” Claude tacked on.

“You’re interested in baking?” Allegra asked.

He smiled and made a small  _ tsk  _ sound, “What? I’d like to have a pretty diverse repertoire for the ladies.”

Felix rolled his eyes and even Alya commented on it then, “They’re baked goods, not magic.”

Marinette laughed before turning to Claude, “Don’t listen to them. I think baking a great skill to have. And seeing a cute boy with his sleeves rolled up always helps to.”

Adrien straightened in his seat, “I’d love to learn about your macarons too.”

Alya fought the urge to sigh, the poor boy was so helpless and Marinette was too oblivious in response. They were a lost couple at this rate.

The conversation continued on from there, going from baking to classes, those in Miss Mendeleiev’s homeroom class grumbling especially. The physics teacher held a sharp tongue and the only person who could out-class her strict disposition was Felix, which often did  _ not  _ alleviate the situation. After a few hours of jokes and more teasing, the teens paid for their respective dinners and headed out the door.

Allegra and Allan were heading in the same direction, walking off together and waving to the group. Claude said he had some errands to run before getting home, running toward a nearby market and wishing the other teens goodnight.

“Why don’t we drive you home?” Felix offered, to which Marinette nodded her head negatively.

“It’s a beautiful night, I don’t mind walking.” She answered, “A few minutes outside on a night like this is hardly a hassle.”

Felix nodded while Adrien hesitated to grasp his courage.

“See you soon, Adrien!” Marinette called out, waving as she turned in the direction of her home.

Both Nino and Alya shot him a look - this was the moment to say something. Felix was always dragging her away, this could be his opening to finally having that moment alone with Marinette.

Without thinking, Adrien called out:

“Wait!”

Marinette turned back, not having gone far. “Something I forgot?”

Adrien looked to the side and back to her, “Do you want to go ice-skating with me tomorrow afternoon?”

She looked visibly surprised, before smiling at her friend. “Sure! I’d love to. Send me the details.”

Marinette continued on her way as Adrien waved at her retreating back, a smile plastered on his face as the blunette disappeared around the corner. Nino patted his back in praise at his sudden bout of courage and Alya silently clapped alongside them.

“Good on you, dude.” Nino stated, “Good luck tomorrow. Unless you need your favorite wingman after all?”

“Ha. Ha.” Adrien punctuated sarcastically, before smiling in the direction of Marinette’s departure.

Felix simply watched it play out, fully aware of Adrien’s feelings on his childhood friend for the past few  _ years.  _ Adrien was serious about Marinette, if the lovestruck doodles on his notebooks were any indicator. If not, the endless pictures on his phone and even the wallpaper was more than enough to show where his mind was at.

And Adrien’s crush had never particularly bothered Felix before - he honestly thought nothing of it. Marinette was agreeable in many ways — a good person above all and certainly someone his parents would approve of. If anything, he wondered when Adrien would finally confess to his best friend of years.

But now… 

The pit in Felix’s stomach only continued to grow.

He would be damned if he ever voiced this feeling to himself, never mind ever bringing it up to Adrien.

_ Marinette was just a friend. _

Just a friend, who could possibly be masquerading as the love of his life.

And so he stayed quiet, just a listening party to Adrien’s gushing about their pig-tailed friend. The never-ending compliments poured out about her shiny hair, her captivating blue eyes, and a personality that welcomed everyone.

But Felix already knew that.

Damn.

_ Was he in deep shit or what? _

The next day, Adrien sat in a pool of his own clothing, lifting up shirt after shirt to his torso in front of the mirror. He modeled more clothes in the span of an hour than he did for most fashion shows, constantly wondering which one would look best on him for his date.

“You’re fourteen outfits passed hopeless.” Plagg mocked.

“But what if she thinks I’m not taking this seriously?” Adrien complained about his usual jean outfit. Felix was leaning against the doorframe, having been dragged into this by his twin to help figure out proper clothes.

“I think your problem is if she thinks you’re taking this  _ too  _ seriously.” Plagg commented as he floated around the room.

“What if she smells the desperation off of you with a different outfit?” Felix bit out, arms crossed as Adrien continued to panic.

“Do you think so?”

“Come on loverboy, it’s about time you get yourself a girlfriend.” Plagg taunted, Adrien pouting in response.

Felix sighed then pushed off the door, moving to put his hands on Adrien’s shoulders. “Marinette is your best-friend. Stop worrying so much.”

Adrien took a breath and smiled, “You’re right.  _ You’re right.  _ I’ll uh… I’ll try to relax more. Thanks Fé.”

On the other side of Paris, nestled above the Dupain-Cheng bakery, Marinette was sound asleep. 

After the long day yesterday, Ladybug did a quick patrol alone the night prior that ended up lasting three hours more than she wanted. To her, being a superhero was more than just being the bad guy, it was assuring the public that they were safe under her care.

And so she had no qualms in greeting the general public, striking a pose or signing an autograph when other citizens greeted her. She was glad they approved of her and Chat Noir and appreciated their continual support.

Unfortunately, it seemed every few blocks, someone would call out to Ladybug and ask for a hug or an autograph.

By the time Marinette was in the comfort of her bed, she could count the amount of sleep she would get on a single hand. Exhausted beyond belief and a body privy to ignoring her alarm clock, it was only when Adrien was knocking on the latch to her room that Marinette finally started stirring in bed.

Sabine had only winked at the poor boy before he started up the stairs, welcoming him to Marinette’s room this mid-morning. He flushed at her mom being so obviously mischievous, but shook his head before fully climbing up to her room.

“Marinette...?” He called out to the room, hearing nothing in response. Adrien called her number, maybe she had stepped out for a quick minute? But when the ring-tone came from higher in the loft, Adrien had to stifle a laugh.

“Don’t tell me…” Adrien murmured to himself as he climbed the ladder. Marinette tossed around in response, arm shooting out from the blanket to finally silence the sound.

“Tikki, tell me that that’s not you.” Marinette complained, loud enough for Adrien to hear.

Not that he really noticed.

Instead, his eyes were glued to the scene at the top of the loft, Marinette with hair mused and eyes barely open. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to her, wrap her into a big hug as he cuddled her from behind and napped  _ together. _

Adrien cleared his throat.

Marinette shot up in response, hands at the edge of her blanket as her eyes met his amused ones.

“Adrien! What are you doing here?”

Adrien smiled as she obviously panicked, eyes shooting to somewhere further in her room. “It’s thirty minutes to noon, we were supposed to meet up downstairs but your mom told me just to come up here.”

“Of course she did.” Marinette murmured.

“So, I’m assuming maybe we should do breakfast or something first?” Adrien teased.

Marinette groaned, “First, why don’t you go downstairs and get something for us from the bakery and then we can go to the rink?”

“What’s second?”

“Erase this from your memory.” Marinette said in her deadpanned voice.

“I don’t think so.” Adrien replied, “Are those Chat Noir pajamas?”

“SHUT!”

“I always knew you were a Chat Noir stan, but these are just cute.”

To her horror, he took another step  _ closer  _ and up the loft.

“Did you make these yourself?”

She pouted in response, “Don’t tease me like this, Adrien!”

He shot her another amused smile, “I’m only saying this because they look so well made.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,  _ oh.”  _ Adrien repeated, “But I’ll go back downstairs to get us something, then we can start our date.”

An obvious rosiness spread from Marinette’s neck to her cheeks, earning an endearing smile from Adrien before he climbed the rest of the way down. The young baker had to slap at her skin, a physical reminder that getting these feelings for Adrien was a path she did not want to go down.

She liked  _ Chat Jour - end of story. _

No matter how attractive or smooth-talking Adrien was, Marinette was her best friend for years and knew that was just how he was. He was friendly and it would do her no good to misconstrue what was clearly nice gestures as something more. It would only serve to hurt and possibly ruin their friendship down the line.

Neither her mom nor dad helped separate this line though, winking at Marinette when she was finally heading down the stairs to the bakery.

“Not too late tonight, hear that young man?” Tom joked, eagerly slapping Adrien on the back, to which the blond sheepishly laughed as he rubbed at the back of his head.

“Ignore them, Adrien.” Marinette stated as she pushed him out the door, “Thank you, mom and dad. See you later.”

And so Marinette tried her hardest, for the next three hours, to remind herself that Adrien was her very good friend. He was alright at ice-skating, by no means a pro, but he had the basics and some tricks up his sleeve.

She was clutz from the start, losing her balance at times and leaning into Adrien’s touch. There were others at the rink, families and other couples enjoying the weekend. Adrien had a baseball cap on to cover his eyes, but it seemed most people were enamored in their own little groups to notice him.

From the moment they got on the ice together, Adrien held onto her hand.

_ “It’s so I can be there for you when you fall.” _

But he had said it so passionately, with so much feeling that Marinette felt that his words were paramount to much more than he was leading on. At times, when Marinette was particularly slipping, Adrien would exchange hands to put one around her waist and the other holding her hand.

“Thank you for being so reliable, Mr Model.” Marinette commended.

“You pick up a lot of tricks along the way.” Adrien answered.

“Yeah, but thanks for spending this time with me.”

“Of course I would, Marinette.”

“Come on, it’s our day off.” She continued, “I bet you have a laundry list of video games and other things you’d rather be doing. Thanks for inviting little ole  _ me _ .”

Adrien’s grip on her hand tightened and his voice was surprisingly serious, “Don’t ever sell yourself short like that, Marinette.”

“What?”

“You’re not  _ just  _ Marinette - you’re one of the most important people in my life.” Adrien stated, turning to her with a flat look, as if he was earnestly attempting to convey the severity of his words.

“Oh. I -- I’m sorry?” Marinette responded back, dumbfounded by how serious Adrien was taking this.

“Don’t be.” Adrien finally broke a small smile, “I’ll just have to remind you in other ways.”

And, without warning, he twirled her on the ice before pulling her to his chest.

“Woah!”

Adrien’s expression was a downright smirk as he continued their little dance on the ice. “I have some stuff we can try.”

To any outside person, they must have looked like a couple.

Marinette’s blush was almost permanent and Adrien was on cloud nine. It was a time for only the two of them - no friends interfering, no suggestive looks from the others, or Felix somehow stealing her away. That blush was entirely  _ his  _ alone and he was going to revel in this day.

“Marinette, you’re… you mean a lot to me.”

“You mean a lot to me too!” Marinette answered without hesitation, “What made you so sentimental today?”

“Uh -- I just wanted to say…”

_ But fate was never kind to Adrien. _

In his moment's hesitation, a loud boom shook the building and both teens broke apart to look around at what caused the intrusion. Both their phones started beeping with a noise, there was no doubt an Akuma attack somewhere nearby.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Adrien groaned, grabbing Marinette’s hand and wheeling them both over to the side of the rink. Marinette followed wordlessly, eyes glued to her phone as she scrolled through the news report about the akuma.

In his excitement for his date, he failed to coordinate who would have the ring of destruction today. And with him as Chat Jour, he had to find a way to break off from Marinette and get to the akuma.

“As much as I hate to seperate, we need to get back into our normal shoes.” Marinette stated, pointing at the women’s changing area behind her and hobbling around in skates.

_ This was his out. _

“Alright. Just stay in there for the duration of the akuma.” Adrien directed, giving her a quick hug before running in the opposite direction.

To say his patience was run down would be an  _ extreme  _ understatement.

It seemed everything as of late was working against him. First with his brother taking up all of Marinette’s time. His smooch with her being cancelled over an akuma. And now his date with her is interrupted  _ again  _ by another stupid akuma.

Adrien transformed in a secluded section of the hall, most people taking cover further into the building. In the next second, he was out the door and jumping roof to roof as Chat Jour. It was only when Adrien was high enough to see the swarm of birds rounding the Eiffel Tower.

_ Fucking Mr. Pigeon _

Adrien had half the mind to use his baton for other reasons, but remembered cooly that in this situation he was the hero. This must have been nearly the eighteenth time he had fallen privy to Hawkmoth, it was literally at the point that Adrien was losing count. Would it be safer for Paris if he picked up another hobby? Button collecting? Anything that did  **not** involve animals??

Ladybug landed on the roof next to him, greeting him and then looking out in the same direction. She had even sighed a loud, undoubtedly annoyed at having to deal with the same enemy over and over again.

“Come on, let's go.” Ladybug’s voice was tinged with exasperation, but as their roles as heroes, she would rise in action to the call. 

Chat Jour could not help the annoyance seeping onto his face, responding with a  _ “Yeah, whatever.” _

While handling Akuma’s was more about releasing them than being particularly gentle, Chat Jour was admittedly being much more aggressive with his actions this time around. Without care about the weight behind his punches, Chat Jour was not even trying to veil his annoyance at this particular interruption.

With a few heavy punches, one that even landed Mr Pigeon on his ass a roof away, Ladybug shot him a silent look before breaking and releasing the butterfly within. Xavier lay on the ground, unconscious. While usually the akumatized victim was disorientated after coming to from Hawkmoth’s control, Chat Jour’s last hit was enough to land the poor man into the realm of dream world.

“Okay, what’s with you Chat Noir?” Ladybug asked as the effects of the  _ miraculous ladybug _ spread throughout the Parisian night. She moved toward Xavier to feel his pulse, but even she was a little peeved that her day had been interrupted.

Chat Noir frowned apologetically, “Sorry, I’m just a little on edge.”

“Pound it?” She held out her fist anyway, receiving a lackluster response. “Something wrong?”

“Just that these akuma’s have terrible timing.” Chat Noir sighed out.

“Busy today?” Ladybug prodded a bit more, genuinely curious.

“I was on a date with the love of my life.”

Ladybug physically recoiled, never had he mentioned something in the past. “I --  _ Oh _ .”

_ Chat Jour had someone he was romantically interested in? This entire time? _

“ _ Yeah _ .” He sighed, “The woman of my dreams, a close friend of mine, she’s sweet and I know you’d like her.”

“That’s… nice.” Ladybug replied, unsure what words to even say.

“And now it’s about nightfall so she’s probably heading home by now.”

Trying to mask her disappointment, Ladybug continued. “I wasn’t even aware you have someone you love.”

“There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about me.”

_ Ouch. _

“Oh.”

“Sorry, that came out wrong.” He retracted immediately, realizing how callous he was being with his words, “I wasn’t trying to be mean, but you tend to keep me at an arm's-length. I’m not used to opening up to you about this stuff.”

“It’s important that we keep our identities a secret.”

“I know, I’ve heard this a hundred times.” Chat Noir said with a sigh.

“You didn’t let me finish.” Ladybug stepped closer and put a hand on his shoulder, “It doesn’t mean that I don’t care about  _ you.  _ I know we can’t share everything, but you mean so much to me Chat Jour. _ ” _

“You don’t have to say that.”

“Well, it’s good I’m not just saying it.” Ladybug stated, putting a guiding hand on his chin to look her in the eyes. “I mean it, I can’t do this without you Chat Jour.”

He stared right back at her, bright green eyes bearing into her own. It was rare to hear about their dynamic like this. It was always Ladybug and her partner, her _sidekick,_ Chat Noir. She was the one who was necessary, who was truly Paris’ hero.

But she said it herself, Ladybug needed  _ him  _ through all of this.

It was only the beeping from his ring that dragged him out of his thoughts.

“Thank you, my lady.” He said before taking a step away and winking, “See you next time.”

Ladybug watched his receding back, feeling her heart crack in more ways than one. How long was Chat Noir holding onto that? Was that how he felt about their relationship this whole time?

And since when was he  _ in love with someone else? _

Never had he alluded to interest in someone in his civilian form, she would have long remembered if he did mention something. At least to spare her from any hurt feelings along the way. She thought she was rather obvious with her feelings, not to mention almost all of Paris thought they were a couple by now. 

The close embraces, tough calls, and overall willingness to risk your life for your other half was all there.

Chat Jour one of two other people in the whole world who could understand what they are going through as superheroes, and she doesn’t even have him.

Having enough of today, Ladybug was tired and confused, wanting nothing more than to cuddle up into her bed and ignore the pounding in her heart. Swinging from rooftop to rooftop, she slid onto her own before landing on the open balcony. She was seconds away from detransforming, her mind in a thousand places, before she felt as small niggling in her mind as if Tikki was poking her from within.

The second of hesitation was good, because a small sound of a throat clearing came from behind her, sitting right on her lounge chair.

“Hello, Felix.” Ladybug greeted lamely, to which the blond nodded at her silently. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“What an odd question.” Felix remarked.

Inwardly, he was fighting the need to raise a curious brow. 

_ How did Ladybug know my name and why is she here? _

“What are you doing here?” Ladybug attempted to keep her tone light.

Felix kept his expression guarded as he stood, “My question is of what are  _ you  _ doing here _?” _

“What do you mean?”

“I’m waiting for my friend, whose balcony this actually is.” Felix guestered with an open palm,” Adrien asked me to check on her after she disappeared and with an akuma attack this afternoon, I wanted to personally make sure she was okay.”

“I see.”

“And here I was summing you were present to help me look for Marinette. Of course, the fact that I still cannot reach her over the phone and yet Ladybug is here at her house, I would have hoped those two facts were connected, right  _ Ladybug _ ?”

Felix said it with such authority, standing and rising to stand directly in front of one of Paris’ superheroes. If this were any other night, Marinette would have felt herself sweat within her suit that he had hit it right on the mark. 

A part of her was oddly touched, that Felix had attempted to see if she was okay after an Akuma attack. (Which also boded the question of why  _ Adrien  _ had not been the one to reach out, but she did not think much of it.) It came to show that the improvement in their friendship, with the ever so silent Agreste, was actually mutual on both of their sides.

Another part of her was worried, spending so much time with Felix, who was arguably one of the smartest people in her year, was a double-edged sword. He was quick witted and it would not take long for him to put pieces of the puzzle together. If tonight was any indicator, Felix already had his own ideas about Marinette’s sudden disappearance. 

Any other night and she would have tried to convince him otherwise.

But today was not that night.

Ladybug let out a labored sigh, raising her teary eyes towards him.

“Listen, I can’t deal with this right now.” Her voice was weak to both their ears, “Let me know if you get any leads on Marinette.”

Felix stood stock still, astonished that the key defender of Paris had become so crestfallen at his words. Instantly, he wanted to take it back and just be honest, lay out the cards on the table so he could stop playing games with two people he cared about.

Ladybug’s reaction had been so raw, so  _ honest,  _ an expression that he rarely ever saw even when he was under the veil of Chat Noir. Ladybug wore her heart on her sleeve and often that slip of strong emotion was of determination or worry about the battle. But seeing her so  _ heartbroken,  _ what nerve had he accidentally hit?

In seconds, Felix was already rethinking the entire arrangement that Marinette was Ladybug.

Maybe there was something else entirely?

But it was too late to take back the conversation, for Ladybug simply nodded toward in goodbye and silently swung away in another direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late updates -- as you can tell these chapters are pretty long because I have quite a number of story points I want to hit and I don't want it to be half-assed when they come out. Hope you enjoyed this recent chapter :)

**Author's Note:**

> This has kinda been hanging out in my drafts, so let me know if you liked it! (:


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